Stargaryan Ring
by errobotter
Summary: Ed Stark gives Jon a ring that turns his life into a video game. Jon will navigate the world of Ice and Fire while his skills and character grow and develop. Inspired by the other GoT video game plots (find them, read them, love them) and the Video Game Plot communities (check them out). Please review!
1. SR001

**_AN: This story was inspired by A Video Game of Thrones by Temairine and A Game of Ice and Fire by I'mjusttryingtofindmyway. Both are excellent stories and you should definitely check them out. After reading them I found that there are FanFiction communities dedicated to the "video game" premise and found some really good ones outside of GoT/ASoIaF that helped me decide to give the genre a shot. I do not make any claims to the property of George R. R. Martin or Bethesda. I intend to update this story alongside Just Hold On, if you ship JonSa you should check it out. Anyway, please let me know what you think of the story._**

* * *

"You, boy, out of the way!" a voice shouted. "We have to get things set up for the performance later."

Lady Catelyn Stark had been overjoyed when the performers had first arrived and requested permission to perform at Winterfell and had insisted that her husband, Lord Eddard Stark, purchase their services for the next fortnight. That Lady Stark could be so fond of a group of strangers while she was so cold and reserved when it came to one of her husband's sons caused Jon Snow's face to settle into a grimace as he moved to comply with the performer's instruction, allowing the troupe to pass by pressing his lean frame tightly against the wall.

After the troupe passed, Jon's body relaxed and he moved away from the wall. Jon was, by virtue of being birthed by another woman, always under intense scrutiny by Lady Stark. If word reached her ear that Jon had interfered with something that she had so enthusiastically supported then he did not want to think what would happen to him as a result.

As a young boy, Jon would play with Robb and Sansa Stark quite frequently. One day, Sansa skinned her knee while playing and Robb thought that the best thing to do was to fetch Lady Stark. Jon had waited with the crying Sansa, holding her and stroking her hair until Robb returned with his lady mother.

Lady Stark, did not ask any questions. She pulled Sansa from Jon's arms with a look of deep hatred on her face. "What did you do to my daughter, bastard?"

"I didn't do anything, I promise! We were playing and she slipped."

Lady Stark's arm seemed to move of its own volition as it rose before delivering a harsh slap to the young boy's face. "Do not presume that you will trick me with your lies, bastard. I will be having words with Lord Stark about this incident."

Tears immediately started leaking from young Jon's eyes from the pain of being hit, from confusion about the word 'bastard' and at the thought that he would be struck for no reason. From that day, Jon did everything he could to avoid Lady Stark as she made it clear that she did not approve of his presence at Winterfell.

This day would be no different. Jon Snow would make sure that he did not interfere with the troupe so that he did not further risk Lady Stark's wrath. The boy moved swiftly down the corridor, away from the keep's main entrance, towards his chamber.

Jon favored dark clothing as it seemed to help him fade into the background, like a shadow. Anything that helped to avoid unwanted attention was coveted by Jon. As such, Jon found himself with contradicting thoughts as he examined a large silver ring that Lord Eddard Stark had given to him earlier that day while insisting that, when he was older, Jon treasure the ring and keep it secret until they had further opportunity to discuss its significance.

On one side of the shimmering black stone in its center, there was a wolf in mid stride with its jaws opened further than should have been possible to set the stone in place. On the other was a dragon with its wings pressed against back, silver fire pouring from its mouth to set the stone in place opposite the wolf.

Jon knew that the ring would draw unwanted attention, so he would not wear it to supper. However, he could not resist the temptation to put the ring on his finger. As the ring slid into place, the loud hustle and bustle of the active castle immediately ceased, as if the world had completely stopped around him.

 ** _Hello, player._**

 ** _Welcome to 'A Game of Thrones.'_**

 ** _Before we get started on your adventure, tell me about yourself._**

 ** _Are you a boy or a girl?_**

Two window-like panes appeared in front of Jon with the one options that he had been presented clearly written on each. Thinking that he had gone completely mad, Jon raised his hand and tried to touch the pane with the word 'Boy.' He was surprised to see the pane glow briefly before disappearing.

 ** _Player identified._**

 ** _Jon Snow, Bastard of Winterfell.  
Father: Unknown to player  
Mother: Unknown to player  
Allegiances: House Stark  
Enemies: Unknown to player_**

 ** _Description: The fourteen year old, alleged son of Eddard Stark was brought back to Winterfell at the end of the war known as Robert's Rebellion. He strives to emulate the man who has raised him as a son while also doing his best to avoid the ire of Catelyn Stark. He is more special than he knows, for he knows nothing. There is a great touch of destiny about him._**

Jon read the words with confusion. Of course he knew his father; Lord Eddard Stark was his father. This was all so confusing to Jon. Of course his mother's identity was a mystery, it was rumored that Lord Stark had even refused to tell his lady wife her identity when he returned with Jon causing frostiness between the two that did not abate until the Lady of Winterfell gave birth to Eddard Stark's second trueborn daughter, Sansa. Allegiences? Enemies? Jon did not think that he had any of the latter and was unsurprised, and a bit proud, to see himself listed as being allegiant to House Stark.

The description caused his brow to furrow beneath his wavy black hair. 'He strives to emulate the man who has raised him as a son…" Of course Lord Stark raised him as a son; he was the most honorable person that Jon had ever met and wouldn't hear of Catelyn's please to send him away.

A touch of destiny? Jon asked himself as the words disappeared.

 ** _You are in the great game now._**

 ** _Jon Snow  
Level 1  
Experience: 0/100  
HP: 100/100  
SP: 100/100  
MP: 100/100_**

 ** _Choose the perks (10) that will best aid you on your journey._**

 ** _Strength: 0  
Strength is a measure of your raw physical power. It affects how much you can carry, and the damage of all melee attacks._**

 ** _Perception: 0  
Perception is your environmental awareness and "sixth sense,"and affects weapon effectiveness in combat._**

 ** _Endurance: 0  
Endurance is a measure of your overall physical fitness. It affects your total Health and Stamina drain from sprinting and physical actions._**

 ** _Charisma: 0  
Charisma is your ability to charm and convince others. It affects your success to persuade in dialogue and prices when you barter._**

 ** _Intelligence: 0  
Intelligence is a measure of your overall mental acuity, and affects the number of Experience Points that you earn through your actions as well as your total ? points their recovery rate._**

 ** _Agility: 0  
Agility is a measure of your overall finesse and reflexes. It affects your ability to perform in combat and your ability to sneak._**

 ** _Luck: 0  
Luck is a measure of your general good fortune, and affects your ability to deal and avoid Critical Hits among other things._**

Jon was dumbstruck by the options before him. Going with his instincts, he assigned one point to each category before pondering what to do with the last three perk points. It was tough but eventually he made his choice.

 ** _Strength: 2  
Perception: 1  
Endurance: 2  
Charisma: 1  
Intelligence: 1  
Agility: 2  
Luck: 1_**

 ** _Accept?_**

Similar to before, to panes appeared. However, this time one contained the word 'Yes' while the other contained the word 'No.'

Jon took a breath before tapping 'Yes.'

 ** _Your unique and S.P.E.C.I.A.L. path has been set._**

 ** _Take some time to familiarize yourself with the main menu before continuing on your path._**

The words faded from view and a four pointed star took their place. Above the top point was the word 'Skills,' to the right of the right point was the word 'Items,' below the bottom point was the word 'Quests' and the to the left of the left point was '?.'

Jon tapped skills and nineteen different points of light seemed to rise up from the menu as it dropped to the floor. As he turned in a circle, he read Archery, Blocking, Evasion, Light Armor, Heavy Armor, One-handed, Two-Handed, Lock Picking, Pickpocket, Sneak, Speech, Alchemy, Smithing, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?.

The options that he could read were simple enough for Jon to understand but the last six options were completely incomprehensible to the young boy. He would have to figure them out later. Jon gingerly tapped his foot on the four-point star which had moved to the floor causing the points of light to recede as the menu once again appeared before him.

This time he tapped the point labeled 'Items' and the four-point star once again fell to the floor as another menu opened up.

He saw his name 'Jon Snow,' 'Weapons,' 'Apparel,' Potions,' 'Ingredients,' 'Food,' 'Books' and 'Misc.'

Tapping his name, Jon saw a list of all the items on his person listed as being equipped. Black Cloak, Black Tunic, Black Pants, Black Leather Belt, Black Leather Boots, Stargaryan Ring.

He quickly went through the items and saw that each piece of his attire granted +1 defense for a total of 5 defense. He then turned his attention to the ring.

 ** _Stargaryan Ring: This ring was ? to activate when slipped on the finger of the intended wielder. When activated, the Stargaryan Ring will provide an accurate assessment of his/her abilities among other things. The full potential of the ring has not yet been realized by the current wielder. Only the wielder of the Ring can see it once it has been activated._**

This is so strange. Where in the seven hells could this thing come from? It all seems so straight forward despite seeming like utter madness. The Stargaryan Ring? That's what the ring is called. Why would someone give it a name like that? There is House Stark and House Targaryen but never was there a House Stargaryan.

Jon tapped his foot on the four-pointed star on the floor again to go back to the previous menu. Then he tapped Quests causing the menu to fall to the floor again before the words Active Quests appeared before his eyes.

 ** _Quest Activated (Recurring)!  
Dinner with the Starks: Attend dinner with the Stark family and their well-wishers. Present yourself with dignity as your actions will reflect upon House Stark.  
Reward for completion: 100 experience and increased reputation with the Stark family and others in attendance  
Penalty for failure: Increased disdain from Catelyn Stark, slightly diminished reputation by the other attendants of the dinner._**

Jon tapped the four-point menu on the floor to go back to the previous menu and searched for a way to exit the Stargaryan Ring menu. There was not an exit option anywhere in sight, so he tried to pull the ring off of his finger. The ring did not budge but his attempts caused his finger to graze the black stone in the ring's center which caused the menu to disappear. All at once, the sounds had faded away when Jon first activated the ring could once again be heard. It was as if no time had passed since its initial activation.

To test his theory, Jon brushed the dark stone causing the meu to appear as all sounds immediately stopped. He touched the stone again and all the sounds of activity immediately picked up where they had left off when the menu was opened.

"This is insanity," Jon murmured as he exited his chambers and proceeded to the dining hall. When Jon entered, he took his customary place for formal occasions at the lower table with the servants. With his mind focused on the strangeness that he had encountered when he put on the Stargaryan Ring, Jon was not paying close attention to the other people at the table.

"Isn't that right, Jon," asked one of the boys at his table. Jon's concentration was broken as he looked up from his food upon hearing his name. What he saw made his response die in his throat. There were words floating above the head of Winterfell's Master-at-Arms' grandson.

 ** _Jory Cassel, Grandson of Winterfell's Master-at-Arms  
Level 1: S. 1 P. 1 E. 1 C. 2 I. 1 A. 1 L. 3  
Reputation: 4%_**

Not wanting to draw attention to the strange floating letters, Jon apologized for missing the question. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"The troupe that arrived here will be staying for the next fortnight?"

"Oh, yes. That's right."

"Are you excited for the performance?"

"Well it will certainly be interesting to see what they do to entertain Winterfell for that long."

Jon's first instinct was to return to his musings about the ring. However, the writing that had appeared over Jory's head could not be forgotten. His gaze scanned over all of the people attending the dinner. Jon found that when he focused on a person, those words would appear over their heads. It seemed that, in general, older people had higher levels and S.P.E.C.I.A.L. perks

Eventually, his gaze fell upon Lord Eddard Stark, himself.

 ** _Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North  
Level: ?: S. ? P. ? E. ? C. ? I. ? A. ? L.?  
Reputation: 30%_**

Jon found it strange that he could not see any of Lord Stark's stats but did not dwell upon the fact as the man stood to make an announcement.

"Good evening, men and women of Winterfell. By now, many of you have probably noticed the performing troupe that has arrived. They will be performing for us over the next fortnight. Be sure to treat them with respect as they are our guests and I would not have it said that Eddard Stark does not abide by guest right."

The dining hall broke into cheers at Ned's proclamation that the performers would be performing for a whole fortnight. Jon also couldn't help but to grin at the information that he already knew being verified. The performing troupe would be a welcome distraction and would help prevent any unwanted attention from falling upon Jon, as long as he managed to stay out of their way.

As the dinner came to a close, Jon felt a tug at his sleeve.

 ** _Quest Completed (Recurring)!  
Dinner with the Starks: Attend dinner with the Stark family and their well-wishers. Present yourself with dignity as your actions will reflect upon House Stark.  
Reward for completion: 100 experience and increased reputation with the Stark family and others in attendance_**  
 ** _Level Up!  
Open Skills Menu to Level Up_**

"Jon, with everyone so excited about the performers we can finally practice archery in the training grounds without having to worry about being caught."

Jon turned and saw the youngest Stark daughter.

 ** _Arya Stark, Arya Underfoot  
Level 2: S. 0 P. 2 E. 1. C. 1 I. 1 A. 2 L. 3  
Reputation: 72%_**

"That may not be the best idea, Arya," Jon cautioned.

"But Jon, if not now, then when will we be able to start?" Arya asked while giving Jon her most adorable and irresistible puppy-dog look.

Words appeared underneath Arya's perk information.

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Archery Practice with Arya: Take the opportunity to help Arya with her archery.  
Reward for completion: 400 Experience and increased Reputation with Arya Stark.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Arya Stark, potential negative long term consequences._**

Potential negative long term consequences did not sound good to Jon, so he accepted. "Alright Arya, let's go and see what you're made of. We should have a couple of hours yet until the sun sets."

Arya beamed at Jon while pulling him away from his not quite finished dinner. The two walked briskly through Winterfell until they reached the door before the guards' barracks where the armory was located.

In the armory, Jon quickly grabbed a pair of bows and two quivers full of arrows. Lord Stark insisted on regular maintenance for Winterfell's weapons, so Jon did not have to spend time sorting through the bows for one that would perform well for Arya.

Backtracking to the previous door, the pair exited Winterfell and found themselves in the training grounds. Jon moved toward the range that had been set up to practice archery while handing a bow to Arya and setting her quiver on the ground.

"Alright, Arya. Archery is a tricky subject. You have to control yourself as much, if not even more than the bow and arrow that you are firing. Go ahead and pull the bowstring back, so I can see where you're starting.

With a heave, Arya pulled the bowstring as far as she could, causing the bow to shake and her breath to become labored, as she exerted herself to keep the string drawn.

Jon couldn't help but laugh as he was reminded of himself when he was first learning to use the weapon. "Very good. You notice that pulling the bowstring is tough but keeping it held is much tougher. You'll need to work on your strength and conditioning before you will be able to make Bran look bad."

"But Jon, I want to learn to shoot. I don't want to work on strength and conditioning."

"Not to worry, Arya. You will be sore as anything in the morning, but the best way to condition your body to use a bow is to use a bow." He reached down and grabbed an arrow to hand to Arya before taking one from her quiver for himself and hitting it to his bow. "Watch me and then, after I shoot, do the same. I'll watch you and we'll see if we can make a proper archer out of you yet."

Jon nocked his arrow to his bowstring and pulled back sharply while taking a deep breath. With his breath held, Jon let go of the bowstring and let the arrow fly. The arrow flew true, hitting the target at the far end of the range. This caused words to appear at the top of Jon's vision.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Archery +100  
Jon Snow Level 2 : 200/300_**

Jon almost forgot to watch Arya's shot due to his momentary surprise. However, he knew the girl would be crushed if he did not follow through with his promise and turned his attention to her. He could tell that she was struggling with keeping the nocked arrow steady as her bow wavered with her labored breaths.

"If you want your arrow to fly straight, you are going to need to keep your arm steady Arya."

"Right," Arya replied while taking a deep breath and doing a surprisingly good job of steadying her bow. Then the girl let go of the bowstring and the arrow flew. "Darn"

"It's alright, Arya. It's very good that you even managed to get that close to the target. If you had managed to hit it on your first shot then Winterfell would have had itself a new master-at-arms."

 ** _Skill Level Up: Speech +100  
Level Up!  
Open Skills Menu to Level Up  
Jon Snow Level 3 : 300/700_**

The girls frown immediately turned upside down due to Jon's words. "Just you wait, soon enough I'll be hitting the target with my eyes closed!"

"I'm sure you will, Arya. Let's finish this quiver of arrows before anyone notices that it or you, for that matter, are gone."

Arya nodded and grabbed another arrow. Jon did the same. He didn't know how to explain it, but the process of nocking and drawing the arrow seemed just a little bit easier and more natural to Jon. When he released the arrow, it sailed through the air before thudding into the target, slightly closer to the center of the target than his previous shot.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Archery +100  
Jon Snow Level 3 : 400/700_**

Jon smiled and proceeded to shoot three more arrows, each hitting the target, causing another level up notification.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Archery +300  
Jon Snow Level 4 : 700/1500 _**

This was great! Jon had discovered a super easy way to gain levels. Though he noticed that, each time he leveled up, the amount of experience needed to get to the next level doubled. His first level only required 100 Experience, the second required 200 additional experience points, the third required 400 experience. He could tell that it would be pretty soon that leveling would not be so easy.

However, there were still plenty of arrows in the quiver for Jon to level up and Arya was quickly becoming exhausted. "Great work so far, Arya. We'll have you shooting like an expert in no time."

Arya beamed in appreciation of Jon's supportive words and shot three more arrows before releasing a tired sigh and turning to watch Jon shoot. He proceeded to loose the arrows in quick succession each one slightly closer to the center of the target than the shot that had preceded it. When the eighth arrow hit the target, the words that Jon hoped to see appeared before him and caused Jon to loose another arrow in celebration.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Archery +900  
Jon Snow Level 5: 1600/3100_**

"Let's go back, Arya, before anyone notices that you aren't where you are supposed to be."

"Alright, Jon," Arya said with a yawn. "Thank you for showing me how to shoot. Mother insists that I be a proper lady and she would never let Robb teach me."

Jon ruffled Arya's hair before grabbing the empty quiver and leading her back to the castle. When they got inside, Arya departed with a gleeful smile leaving Jon to return the bows and quivers to the armory.

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Archery Practice with Arya: Take the opportunity to help Arya with her archery.  
Reward for completion: 400 Experience and increased Reputation with Arya Stark.  
Jon Snow Level 4: 2000/3100  
Open the menu to upgrade skills and to add perk_**

Jon walked to the armory and closed the door behind him before running his finger over the stone of the ring to access the menu.

Instead of the four-point star that Jon expected, he saw the perk menu.

 ** _(1)_** ** _Perk point to add_**

 ** _Strength: 2  
Perception: 1  
Endurance: 2  
Charisma: 1  
Intelligence: 1  
Agility: 2  
Luck: 1_**

Jon thought for a moment before adding the point to Perception. He believed that greater perception would probably help his aim but did not spend too much time thinking how increased perception would affect the other facets of his life.

 ** _Strength: 2  
Perception: 2  
Endurance: 2  
Charisma: 1  
Intelligence: 1  
Agility: 2  
Luck: 1_**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon quickly accepted and the menu changed to show his HP, SP and MP.

 ** _40 Points Available_**

 ** _HP: 100  
SP: 100  
MP: 100_**

 _I don't know what MP does but HP and SP are pretty self-explanatory. I'll split the points between the two options,_ Jon thought.

 ** _HP: 120  
SP: 120  
MP: 100_**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon quickly accepted and was greeted with the regular skill menu, which indicated that he had four points to apply.

 ** _Archery (1)  
Overdraw level 1: Bows do 20% more damage._**

 ** _Blocking_**

 ** _Evasion (1)  
Evasive Tactics: 20% more likely to evade enemy attacks_**

 ** _Light Armor_**

 ** _Heavy Armor_**

 ** _One-handed (1)  
Armsman: One-Handed weapons do 20% more damage._**

 ** _Two-Handed_**

 ** _Lockpicking_**

 ** _Pickpocket_**

 ** _Sneak (1)  
Stealth: You are 20% harder to detect when sneaking._**

 ** _Speech_**

 ** _Alchemy_**

 ** _Smithing_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon pressed the pane with the word 'Yes,' feeling very pleased with his choices. He wanted to put all of the skill points on archery but he would have had to have a level 20 archery stat in order to add the second skill point and much higher than that for the third and fourth skill points.

He tapped the four-point star to go back to the main menu before opting to view his Items. He saw that the long bow and iron arrows were currently listed as equipped in addition to his regular clothing. On a whim, he unequipped the bow and arrows and felt his jaw drop when they simply disappeared. Sure enough, they were still in his inventory but they were no longer on his physical person.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Sneak +100  
Jon Snow Level 5: 2100/3100_**

With a grin, Jon exited the menu before picking up a castle-forged steel sword and one of the shields with the Stark sigil. Grazing the ring again and opening his inventory, Jon unequipped the sword and shield and saw them disappear from his hands while appearing in his inventory.

Taking a deep breath, Jon equipped the castle-forged steel sword and was delighted for it to appear in his hand before he unequipped and made it disappear again.

"That will be useful," Jon said as he set the empty quiver with the other quivers and quickly left the armory.

Jon moved through the corridors on the way back to his chambers with his thoughts ruminating on the Stargaryan Ring. He really should tell someone about it, but if it was correct, and he had no reason to believe that it would be wrong, then no one but him would even be able to see it. No one at dinner had commented on it and neither had Arya during archery where its presence would have been especially obvious.

So, putting his faith in the fact that the ring was invisible to everyone but him, Jon entered his chamber and settled down for the night. Excited for the prospect of a new day.


	2. SR002

**AN: Hello again! Thank you for your reviews and support so far! It really makes the writing process much more fulfilling to get feedback. Just a heads up, for those who followed chapter 1 before October 12, there have been quite a few edits to the chapter for continuity and consistency made to the chapter. The overall plot has not changed drastically but, if you find yourself thinking "That's not how things worked last chapter," then I recommend that you take a few minutes to re-read the first chapter. :-)**

* * *

Jon woke up feeling more refreshed than he ever had in all of his days at Winterfell. No grogginess was present as he opened his eyes and saw words floating in the air above him.

 ** _Jon Snow Level 5: 2100/3100  
HP: 120/120  
SP: 120/120  
MP: 100/100_**

 ** _After sleeping for 8 hours in a bed that you own, you wake feeling rejuvenated. All negative status effects are cured and HP, SP and MP are fully restored._**

 _That's interesting,_ Jon thought as he pulled on his clothes. _That could come in really handy down the line._

Jon pulled his boots on and examined his room. His sparse chambers were nothing to brag about. There was a wooden dresser that housed his clothes and supported a deep bowl of fresh water which must have been brought in by one of the servants over the night, for him to use while freshening up in the morning. A mid-sized rug covered the expanse of floor between his bed and the fireplace. There was a simple desk with an equally simple chair and a chamber pot nestled in the corner near the window.

Even though he had woken up in that room most every day since his fourth name day, he had never really noticed how sparsely decorated his chamber was in comparison with the rest of Winterfell. As a Northern family that was quick to remind their countrymen that Winter is Coming, the Starks were not a family for garish, displays of wealth. However, there were subtle reminders of the family's wealth and power in most every other room in the castle.

Finely embroidered banners and intricately carved wooden furniture was the uniting theme throughout Winterfell. By commissioning such works from his bannermen, Eddard Stark was able to redistribute income to help drive the Northern economy while providing work that gave the men and women of the North a sense of pride. _It makes sense. The Lord of Winterfell can commission works from his bannermen to keep them happy and productive during times of peace which would make them more willing to fight for the Lord if he was forced to call his banners during a time of war._

A puzzled look settled on Jon's face. _Why would such a thought come to mind? I cannot count the number of times that I've looked over the contents of this room and I've never thought of either how the decorations here compare to the rest of the castle nor why the castle had been furnished in the way that it was or the potential rationale for the various purchases that Lord Stark made throughout the years._

 _Could this be a side effect of adding a point to the Perception perk yesterday? It's like everything has another level to it that was not there yesterday! If this is what one extra point does, what would the world seem like with ten points of Perception? For that matter, how would adding points to Strength, Endurance, Charisma, intelligence, Agility or Luck change my life?_

 _Strength, Endurance and Agility were fairly easy for Jon to imagine._ An image of him lifting a horse came to mind at the thought of him adding points to Strength. A vision of him sprinting at full speed and leaving a huffing and puffing Robb in his wake flashed through his mind at the thought of adding points to Endurance. The thought of him weaving through Theon's sword strikes, untouched came to mind, as he thought of adding points to Agility.

As welcome as these thoughts were, the prospect of increasing Charisma, Intelligence and Luck was equally appealing to Jon. He could see himself convincing a large group of men to take up arms and march to battle with him if he increased his charisma. He could imagine himself sought after for his keen advice if he increased his intelligence. He could envision himself finally beloved by the woman who scorned him, if he was a bit luckier.

The last thought caused Jon to grimace. All the luck in the world probably could not make that happen. However, maybe, if he was lucky, she would just ignore him and not be so keen for him to be reprimanded for every slight, real or imagined, against her or her trueborn children.

 _So far, I've gained four levels but only got one perk point. If the amount of experience needed to increase from one level to the next continues to double then it will be incredibly difficult to get perk points as my level increases. I'll have to take care when deciding where to add perk points in the future. It will take forever to get perk points by leveling; hopefully I can find another way to get them in the future._

Jon's finger grazed the surface of the Stargaryan Ring and caused the four-point menu to appear before him. The option on the right still read ? and Jon was unable to access the portion of the menu obscured by the question marks. He tapped Items to access his inventory and tapped the Stargaryan Ring.

 ** _Stargaryan Ring: This ring was ? to activate when slipped on the finger of the intended wielder. When activated, the Stargaryan Ring will provide an accurate assessment of his/her abilities among other things. The perks that the ring grants to its wielder will allow much faster skill growth than unmeasured leveling that occurs as a result of the typical human experience. The full potential of the ring has not yet been realized by the current wielder. Only the wielder of the Ring can see it once it has been activated._**

 _The description has changed since yesterday! Maybe if I increase my Perception and Intelligence further then I will unlock the section of the Stargaryan Ring that is currently hidden by question marks. Well, if it wants me to level up in order to fully discover its secrets then I will do my best to level up. In the meantime, I probably should be getting downstairs to break my fast with everyone._

Jon exited the menu by grazing the ring with his finger as he left his chamber and closed the door behind him. His walk was uneventful as most people would already be down in the dining hall to break their fasts. Jon broke into a quick trot and noticed that with his twentieth step his SP bar lost a point.

 ** _SP: 119/120_**

 _Apparently SP stands for Stamina Points,_ Jon thought to himself. _I bet that adding perk points to endurance will cause SP to increase._

Jon continued at the quick pace that he had set going down the staircase that would lead him to the dining hall. He noticed, along the walls of the staircase, that the windows were angled in such a way that if an archer was in stationed at the window he would have almost complete visibility to shoot at enemy forces but enemy archers would have had a much harder time firing an arrow at the correct angle needed to get their arrow through the window and hit the defending archer that was raining arrows down upon him.

 _Wow, Winterfell is definitely much more than the fancy castle that most think it to be. I'm sure that there are many more features that I've overlooked over the years that would make the fortress extremely formidable in the event of a siege._

Jon shook his head and continued down the staircase toward the smells of food. Jon arrived and took his place with the servants. Small bowls of berries from the Winterfell's glass gardens, toasted bread on cutting boards with butter dishes at their side and a thick porridge made with milk was made available for all to take their fill. The breakfast was not so lavish that it would go against the Stark words that Winter is Coming. The family would not be wasteful in the warm seasons as their words always proved true in the end and they would be prepared for the lean times that it brought upon them at Winterfell.

Jon sliced a hunk of bread and buttered it deftly before putting in on his plate. He reached for one of the bowls of berries and tilted it so around ten dropped onto his plate. He poured porridge into his bowl and started eating without ceremony. As he raised his first spoonful of porridge to his mouth, the ring on his finger glinted in the sunlight and he had an idea.

Discreetly brushing the ring with this thumb, all motion and sound instantly came to a halt. Jon attempted to stand up and leave his seat only to find that, when he stood up, he was unable to move from his spot. He could lift the foot that would be used to return to the main four-point menu but could not make his body leave the spot he was when he opened the menu.

 _That's disappointing, but I suppose that it makes sense that freezing time to allow access to the menu was probably incredibly difficult to accomplish and that allowing the wielder to move through frozen time was probably darn near impossible._ With a slight frown, Jon sat down in his seat and accessed his inventory.

Jon tapped 'Food,' 'Books' and saw Berries (10), Buttered Toast and Hearty Porridge. Jon decided to investigate further and tapped the first food option.

 ** _Berries (10)  
Increase HP and SP regenerate at a rate of 1 point per minute outside of combat over the next two hours_**

 ** _Buttered Toast  
Increase SP by 10 over the next two hours or until points are used._**

 ** _Hearty Porridge  
Increase HP and SP by 20 over the next four hours or until points are used. _**

_Woah! The maester was right when he said that breaking one's fast is crucial to starting the day off on the right foot._ Getting stat boosts just from eating was a huge win from Jon's perspective. He exited the menu and proceeded to scarf down his rations getting a notification when he finished.

 ** _Jon Snow Level 5: 2100/3100_**

 ** _HP: 140/120 (Effect: HP regenerates at a rate of 1 point per minute outside of combat over the next two hours)  
SP: 150/120 (Effect: SP regenerates at a rate of 1 point per minute outside of combat over the next two hours)  
MP: 100/100_**

Jon grinned at his temporarily boosted HP and SP before felling a tug on his tunic.

"Good morning, Jon," a young boy asked while beaming at him. "Will you come to visit the performers with Robb, Theon and me this morning?"

Jon turned and looked at the boy who was holding the sleeve of his tunic.

 ** _Bran Stark, The Sure-Footed Stark  
Level 5: S. 1 P. 2 E. 2 C. 2 I. 1 A. 4 L. 1  
Reputation: 51%_**

"Good morning Bran. That sounds like a fine way to spend the morning," Jon agreed with a grin. "You all ready to go?"

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Winterfell's Guests: Meet the performers who have taken short-term residence at Winterfell  
Reward for completion: 400 Experience and increased Reputation with Bran Stark, Robb Stark and Theon Greyjoy and others.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Bran Stark, Robb Stark and Theon Greyjoy, potential negative long term consequences._**

"I can't wait to go! Robb and Theon just left, saying that they would meet us at the training ground."

"Right then, let's go join them," Jon agreed while standing up and taking leave of his place at the table. "Maybe we can get some practice at swords in before we make our way over to where the performers set up their camp."

"Ser Rodrik says that I'm doing even better than Robb was when he was my age. I'm going to be the next great knight in all of Westeros," Bran promised with a spark of determination in his brown eyes. "I'll be even greater than Arthur Dayne, Barristan the Bold or Jaime Lannister!"

"Well we best get to practicing if that's going to happen!"

Bran set off at a run, causing Jon to run to keep up.

 ** _SP: 139/100  
SP: 138/100  
SP: 137/100  
SP: 136/100  
SP: 135/100_**

The boys appeared in the training grounds laughing at their quick passage through the corridors of Winterfell. In the center of the training field, a grizzled man with a beard that he tied beneath his chin and a barreled chest was putting the Winterfell guards through drills.

 ** _Ser Rodrik Cassel, Winterfell's Master-at-Arms  
Level: ?: S. ? P. ? E. ? C. ? I. ? A. ? L.?  
Reputation: ?_**

Here was another person that was beyond Jon's current ability to perceive their attributes. _It's not surprising. As Winterfell's Master-at-Arms, Ser Rodrik should be strong._

"Oy! Jon, Bran," a voice shouted. "Over here."

Jon and Bran turned toward the voice and saw Robb and Theon standing across from one another with their wooden training swords drawn.

 ** _Robb Stark, Heir to Winterfell  
Level: 18: S. 4 P. 2 E. 3 C. 3 I. 2 A. 2 L. 0  
Reputation: 29%_**

Robb was tall for his age. He had an easy smile and had inherited a shade of red in his hair from his mother. He was everything expected of the future Lord of Winterfell. Across from Robb, stood his closest companion and trusted companion.

 ** _Theon Greyjoy, Heir to the Iron Islands and Ward of Winterfell  
Level: 18: S. 3 P. 3 E. 3 C. 2 I. 2 A. 3 L. 0  
Reputation: 6%_**

The gangly boy had been taken as a ward to ensure his father's complacency immediately following the Greyjoy Rebellion that had occurred at the end of Robert's Rebellion. Theon was a haughty boy who had a perpetual smirk on his face. He took every opportunity to remind Jon of his status as a bastard while reinforcing his own superiority. As such, Jon did not seek out the older boy's company and only tolerated his presence when courtesy dictated it to be necessary.

With a shout, the two boys launched themselves at one another. Robb swung his sword down in a mighty arc which Theon evaded with a quick step to the side before launching a horizontal strike at Robb's chest. Robb's sword was brought up quickly as he recovered his balance from the missed attack. He caught Theon's attack on the side of his blade before lashing out with a kick to the other boy's midsection. Theon fell to the ground in a sitting position and Robb's wooden sword was immediately at his throat.

"Better luck next time, Greyjoy."

"Enjoy it while you can, Stark."

The two boys glared at each other for a moment before Robb laughed and extended a hand to help his opponent to stand. With Theon back on his feet, Robb turned his attention to Jon. "Care to try your luck, brother?"

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Playing at Swords: Show your prowess with the sword and defeat Robb in a spar.  
Reward for completion: 1000 Experience and increased Reputation with Bran Stark, Robb Stark and Theon Greyjoy.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Bran Stark, Robb Stark and Theon Greyjoy, potential negative long term consequences._**

Jon grinned and caught the wooden training sword that Theon threw his way, knowing that Jon would not refuse Robb's challenge. Jon swung the sword in a circle experimentally at his waist as he took Theon's place in the training yard.

He quickly pulled his stats to compare his S.P.E.C.I.A.L. skills to Robb's.

 ** _Jon Snow Level 5: 2100/3100  
HP: 140/120 (Effect: HP regenerates at a rate of 1 point per minute outside of combat over the next two hours  
SP: 135/120 (Effect: SP regenerates at a rate of 1 point per minute outside of combat over the next two hours MP: 100/100  
S. 2 P. 2 E. 2 C. 1 I. 1 A. 2 L. 1_**

Then Jon focused upon his half-brother causing his S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats to appear.

 ** _Robb Stark, Heir to Winterfell  
Level: 18: S. 4 P. 2 E. 3 C. 3 I. 2 A. 2 L. 0_**

Robb had a significant advantage in Strength which would be useful in their spar. Their Perception was equal, so neither had an advantage in that category. Robb also had slightly more Endurance than Jon which could be the deciding factor in conjunction with his superior Strength. Charisma and Intelligence probably would not play a factor in the spar, so Jon did not factor them into his comparison, though he made a note that he should do what he can to reach Robb's level in both as that would put him on par with the heir to one of the most prominent families in Westeros. Jon was only statistically better than Robb when it came to his Luck, though he doubted that one point would make a significant difference in a spar.

"Ready, Snow?"

"On with it, Stark."

The two boys lunged at each other, Jon immediately forced on the defensive as Robb initiated a rapid series of strikes. The first was blocked and Jon saw letters appear in the air between himself and his opponent.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Blocking 2 +100_**

Two more fierce strikes were aimed at Jon. The first strike was a horizontal strike from his left which met Jon's waiting sword. The second was an overhead slash coming down with surprising quickness after Robb disengaged from their brief sword-lock. Jon raised his wooden sword over his head and moved his left hand to the flat of the blade to reinforce his block as Robb's sword connected.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Blocking +100_**

Jon smirked. _If sparring is such an effective means to increase my skill level then I will be doing a lot of sparring in the coming days._

With a grunt, Jon let his sword arm drop while pushing fiercely with his left hand to separate Robb's sword from his own. He followed this action quickly by swinging his blade at Robb, who met the edge of Jon's sword with his own.

 ** _Skill Level Up: One-handed +100  
Armsman: One-Handed weapons do 20% more damage._**

 _I can't believe that I forgot the skill point that I added to One-Handed weaponry last night! I have to take advantage of this skill._

Jon abandoned the two-handed grip that he had automatically fallen into at the start of the spar. Jon struck again quickly with a horizontal slash and met Robb's waiting blade.

 ** _Skill Level Up: One-handed +100  
Armsman: One-Handed weapons do 20% more damage._**

Changing his tactics, Jon aimed a diagonal cross slash only to be foiled by Robb's guard again. Backing away, Jon swung his sword in a quick circle at his side before launching a horizontal slash that made Robb wince as he blocked the blow.

 ** _Skill Level Up: One-handed +200  
Armsman: One-Handed weapons do 20% more damage._**

Jon wanted to keep Robb on the defensive to minimize the older boy's greater strength. However, Robb seemed to figure out what Jon was trying to do and launched a sweeping strike at Jon's knees that he was able to leap over.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Evasion +100  
Evasive Tactics: 20% more likely to evade enemy attacks_**

Jon must have been grinning like a mad man as he dodged each of Robb's next five attacks with increasing ease.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Evasion +500  
Evasive Tactics: 20% more likely to evade enemy attacks  
Level Up!  
Open the menu to upgrade skills _**

_Alright! My HP and SP were restored when I leveled up!_ "What's wrong, Stark? Can't deal with this level of snow?"

 ** _Skill Level Up: Speech +100_**

"I'll show you, Snow," Robb challenged while renewing his assault.

Jon ducked under the first swing and blocked the follow-up swing with his wooden sword, locking his blade with Robb's for the third time in as many minutes since their spar had begun. Seeing Robb's center of gravity shift, as it did when he kicked out at Theon, Jon hopped backwards letting the force of Robb's sword push him away from the front kick that would have resulted in Jon spending time on the ground. In the second that Robb's foot was extended, Jon reached out with his left hand to push Robb's leg sharply to the side causing his older brother to lose his balance. Jon followed his momentum with a spin and landed a fierce horizontal two handed blow to Robb's chest causing the Stark to fall over onto the ground.

 ** _Evasion +200  
Skill Level Up: Blocking +100  
Skill Level Up: Two-Handed +100_**

 ** _Quest Completed!  
Playing at Swords: Show your prowess with the sword and defeat Robb in a spar.  
Reward for completion: 1000 Experience and increased Reputation with Bran Stark, Robb Stark and Theon Greyjoy._**

"It looks like the victory goes to me today, eh Stark?"

"Aye, you got me at the end. I didn't think you would expect me to try the same thing that I did to take Theon down and got a bit reckless at the end," Robb said, not begrudging Jon the victory while assessing his own performance as his father had taught him to do at the end of battle. "We'll see what happens tomorrow."

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Robb's Rematch: Prove that your first victory was no fluke and defeat Robb in a second spar  
Reward for completion: 1500 Experience and increased Reputation with Robb Stark and others.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Robb Stark and others, potential negative long term consequences._**

The sound of clapping broke Jon and Robb from the promise of the next day's rematch. "It looks like you have finally come to understand the lessons that I've been trying impart since you first took up the sword," Ser Rodrik Cassel praised while walking over to where Jon and Robb had sparred. "If you're in the mood for a challenge, some of the newer recruits are in need of a new sparring partner."

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Rodrik's Recruits: Face and defeat Rodrik's Recruits in a sparring session  
Reward for completion: 500 Experience per recruit defeated, ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? if all recruits are defeated, increased Reputation with Roderick Cassel, Robb Stark, Bran Stark, Theon Greyjoy and others.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Robb Stark and others, potential negative long term consequences._**

The prospect of the rewards for successfully completing the task caused Jon to grin. _What kind of mystery reward would I get if I can defeat all of the recruits? Also, how will I be able to defeat all of the recruits with my SP already being reduced from sparring with Robb? Also, I have to figure out a way to get the experience notifications to appear after combat, they could be very dangerous in a battle with live steel._

"Ser Rodrik, would you permit me a short rest before we start the challenge?"

Bran appeared at his side. "You can do it, Jon. I believe in you!"

"Chances are that none of the recruits will be better than our Robb. I'd say he has at least a decent chance, even with his piss poor swordsmanship," Theon added, throwing the bard in with his vote of confidence. "Then again, I wouldn't put too much faith in a bastard like him."

"Apologies, Jon, but, in a real battle, your enemies won't wait for you to catch your breath. It's now or never. Though I can only imagine how pleased your father would be if I told him that you managed to single-handedly beat our nine newest recruits in relay combat."

Jon beamed at the notion of being a source of pride for Lord Stark rather than a reminder of a decision that his lady wife refused to forgive.

"I'll do it then."

"Thattaboy! Alright, you lot come and see what I'm training you to be able to do. Jon has also had the privilege of my instruction and has agreed to pass the lessons onto you." A ragtag group of young men trotted over to stand behind Rodrik. "An extra serving of ale goes to the man who manages to get the best of our young swordsman. Toddrick, you're up first."

A sandy-haired, blonde of medium height and a thin build stepped out to face Jon. "Now you lot watch how it's done. I'll be happy to take the young lordling down a peg."

Jon raised his sword, gripping the pommel with both hands and readied himself for Rodrik to signal for the spar to start. The burly man raised his sword and sheath above his head and knocked the flats together causing a harsh clap that the combatants took as the signal to start their spar.

Jon's heavy two-handed swing knocked Toddrick's sword wide and he poked point of his sword firmly to Toddrick's throat with one hand.

 ** _Two-Handed +100  
One-handed +100_**

"Brendan, you're up next. Give us a better show than Toddrick, if you will."

Jon returned to his initial position with his sword held loosely at his side in one hand as Brendan, a gangly teen with brown hair and dark eyes common to the north took his position across from Jon.

When the clap of Rodrik's sword and sheath sounded, Jon and Brendan sprang into motion. Jon lunged forward with a horizontal strike that was met by Brendan's blade. Instead of locking blades with Jon, Brendan hopped back before lashing forward his own horizontal strike. Jon ducked under the sweeping blow quickly while striking Brenden across his stomach with a two handed blow and causing his opponent to fall to the ground before the tip of Jon's sword pressed firmly into his chest.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Two-handed +100  
Evasion +100  
One-Handed +100_**

"We're going to have a lot of work to do if this is the best that you lot can do. Darryl, you're up."

A muscular yet short opponent with long, greasy black hair took his position across from Jon who was once again standing in his starting position with his sword held aloft in his right hand. When Rodrik clapped his sword and sheath, Darryl rushed forward while Jon stood still.

Darryl brought his sword above his head and roared as he chopped down, mightily. Jon quickly stepped to the side, causing Darryl's swing to land harshly on the ground with a crack. The stout guard recovered quickly and launched a horizontal strike at Jon that was easily ducked.

"Stand still and fight me like a man!" Darryl spat venomously.

"You call that fighting? I thought you just wanted to see how badly you could miss me?"

"I'll show you," Darryl snarled while launching another powerful overhead swing at Jon. It looked like the blow was going to connect but, as before, Jon side-stepped the blow causing the sword to hit the ground again with a mighty crack.

Jon attacked for the first time in the spar and landed a sharp one handed horizontal strike to Darryl's arm which caused his ill-tempered opponent to drop his broken sword.

 ** _Evasion +300  
Speech +100  
One-handed +100_**

"Go Jon," Bran yelled, fired up from the way that Jon had dispatched his opponents. "Only six more to go"

"Don't get your hopes up too high, young Lord," Rodrik cautioned. "As I'm sure Jon will tell you, getting through these six will be tougher than what he has experienced so far. Mykhail, you're up next. Show our young Lords the strength of the Winterfell Guard"

A boy who could have passed for Jon's brother stepped in front of him. Mykhail had long and curly, dark hair that fell to his shoulders, a pale complexion and a solemn face. The resemblance was much stronger that the resemblance that Jon bore to his half-brothers. When they stood they stood at a similar height and looked to share a similar build.

The clap of sword and sheath started the spar.

The two dark haired boys lunged at each other. Jon gripped his sword with two hands as he swung his sword in a mighty downward slash that was met by the flat of Mykhail's sword. The two glared at each other for a moment before Jon stealthily hooked his ankle around the back of Mykhail's foot and pulling, causing the other boy to lose his balance before Jon used one hand to push the tip of his sword firmly into Mykhail's throat.

 ** _Two-Handed +100  
Skill Level Up: Sneak +100  
One-handed +100_**

"Oy, learned something from Robb's spars, did you, Snow?" Theon jeered. "Maybe you'll make something of yourself, yet."

"Lay off, Theon," Robb chastised. "You couldn't win one spar today and, so far, Jon has won five in a row!"

"Well, let's see if he can make that six in a row. Trevin, you're up. Let's see what you got. Surely, young master Jon must be running out of steam by now!"

Jon was panting heavily but couldn't help bit to smirk. _I'm about to level up and, when I do, my SP will refill. Unless these last five guards are something special, I should be able to come out on top of this challenge as the victor._

Trevin took his place opposite Jon on the training field and the two burst into action at the clap of sword and sheath.

Trevin was quick and he launched a horizontal strike at Jon's head before the weary bastard could raise his sword to guard himself. Fortunately, Jon was able to slip under the blow as he felt a burst of energy.

The first one handed sweeping blow was caught by Trevin's guard, while the second also met the edge of Trevin's sword. The third managed to get past Trevin's guard but was only a glancing blow on the shoulder of his non-sword arm.

Trevin gritted his teeth as he lashed out at Jon. His first blow was dodged when Jon hopped backwards. However, Trevin did not allow Jon to regain the offensive and followed up with a sweeping slash that met Jon's sword causing their swords to lock.

Trevin was cautious after seeing how Jon took down Mykail and did not allow Jon the opportunity to upset his balance. Jon noticed his opponent's attention on his lower body and sprung away before launching a two handed strike that succeeded in ripping the sword from Trevin's hand. Jon quickly followed up by stabbing out with his sword and pressing firmly against the center of Trevin's chest.

 ** _One-handed +300  
Skill Level Up: Evasion +100  
Skill Level Up: Blocking +100  
Two-Handed +100  
Level up!  
Open Skills Menu to Level Up!_**

 _I have to be careful with these last three. If I'm not, I could run out of SP before I get to the last opponent,_ Jon thought while relishing in the fact that his SP had been completely refilled following his fight against Trevin.

"You've done much better than I expected, Jon. Color me impressed. Don't let up now. Imagine how impressed your lord father would be if I could tell him that you actually succeeded in this test. Jaime, you're up next."

The haughty looking blonde stepped forward with an arrogant look in his eyes and took his place across from Jon. "Don't expect this to be easy. I was named for my mother's cousin, Jaime Lannister and he is known to be one of the greatest swordsmen in all of Westeros."

Jon did not reply, deciding to let his actions do the talking for him. When Rodrik sounded for the spar to begin, Jon moved quicker than he had in any of his previous matches and started by raising his sword above his head preparing for a mighty swing. Jaime raised his sword above his head and braced the flat of his blade with his off hand to catch what appeared to be a mighty blow. Instead of following through with the downward swing, Jon pulled his arms down quickly and pressed his sword firmly against Jaime's unguarded chest with both of his hands.

"It seems that all you inherited from you mother's uncle is his name," Jon said without emotion.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Sneak +100  
Two-Handed +100  
Skill Level Up: Speech +100_**

"Don't take it too hard, Jaime! Wolves have their teeth after all!" Rodrik said with a chuckle while putting a hand on the boy's shoulder before sending him to wait with Toddrick, Brennan, Daryl, Mikhail and Trevin. "Qarl, it's your turn."

The mousy and boyish recruit who had been standing behind the others moved to stand across from Jon. His black hair was pulled into a pony tail and it seemed that he did would rather not be forced to face off against Jon.

When Rodrik signaled for the spar to begin, all reservation seemed to be forgotten by Qarl. He quickly closed the distance between himself and Jon before launching an attack on the larger boy. Jon was not expecting such an initiative from such a small boy.

After blocking four quick strikes, Jon was able to take the offensive and found his two-handed strike blocked and his sword locked with Qarl. Jon channeled Robb again and kicked out hitting his opponent in the stomach and causing him to fall back in the dirt. Jon was on his downed opponent in a flash and stabbed his sword into his opponent's stomach before Qarl could bring his sword to bear.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Blocking 5 (800/1400) +400  
Two-Handed 4 (700/800) +100  
Skill Level Up: Sneak 4 (400/800) +100  
One-handed 5 (1300/1400) +100_**

 _Only two more opponents,_ Jon thought ruefully. _I can definitely do this._

"Alright boys, only two chances remain to prove you mettle against young Jon. Will one of you be able to do what your brothers couldn't? Who's it going to be? Aiden or Paxton? Here's an idea, Jon how would you feel about taking the both of them on at once?"

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Twin Blades: Defeat the twin blades of Aiden and Paxton and prove you are something special  
Reward for completion: 1500 Experience, (? ?-?), increased Reputation with Roderick Cassel, Robb Stark, Bran Stark, Theon Greyjoy, Toddrick, Brendan, Daryl, Mykhail, Trevin, Jaime, Qarl, Aiden and Paxton.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Roderick Cassel, Robb Stark, Bran Stark, Theon Greyjoy, Toddrick, Brendan, Daryl, Mykhail, Trevin, Jaime, Qarl, Aiden and Paxton, potential negative long term consequences._**

"Why not? Let's get done with this," Jon agreed.

"That's the spirit Jon! Show them the power of the Starks of Winterfell!" Robb cheered vigorously.

"Ballsy move, Snow. Let's see it, then," Theon agreed with grudging respect.

"I hope I can be as good at swords as Jon when I'm his age," Bran said with his admiration for his half-brother clearly visible for any to see.

"Where did this warrior come from? You've got spirit boy. Let's see if you can handle the twins, then!"

Aiden and Paxton remained quiet as they moved to stand beside each other across from their opponent. As Rodrik indicated the two boys were twins. Both were of the same height with the same brown hair and the same blue eyes. There was nothing that would differentiate Aiden from Paton other than the fact that Aiden's sword was held in his right hand while Paxton's sword was held in his left hand.

With the now customary sound of sword clapping against sheath, all Aiden and Paxton separated with Aiden moving to Jon's left and Paxton moving to Jon's right. _They mean to split my attention while giving themselves the best opportunity to attack by keeping their sword hands forward. I have to take one out while making sure that one does not have a chance to strike me while my attention is on his brother._

Jon lunged for Aiden with a vicious horizontal two handed blow. _I'm used to fighting against right-handed opponents. If I can take him out then his brother should not be as dangerous in a one-on-one encounter._

Aiden was able to parry Jon's attack and attempted to lock swords with Jon. Jon knew that Paxton would be on him in a moment and jumped to his right to get the approaching Paxton back in his vision before bringing his sword up to block Paxton's strike. Aiden joined Paxton and the two rained blows on Jon's sword causing him to pant in exertion. Two blows, four blows, six blows. Jon had to backpedal fiercely to get away from the onslaught of blows that the twins were raining down upon him.

 _Shit, these guys are tough. When they are together, all I can do is mount a defense. Wait a second, I have stat upgrades that I can use._ Jon's finger brushed the Stargaryan ring, causing the twins to freeze in their pursuit as a menu appeared showing his HP, SP and MP.

 ** _20 Points Available_**

 ** _HP: 120  
SP: 120  
MP: 100_**

 _I planned to split the skills between HP and SP but, at the moment, it seems like SP is probably the way to go._

 ** _HP: 120  
SP: 140  
MP: 100_**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon accepted the skill changes and saw his remaining SP increase from 15 to 35. _That's seven action moves to take down these two. If I can't do it with those seven action moves then I'll have to surrender._

Upon closing the menu, Jon abruptly halted his backpedaling and struck at Paxton viciously with a one handed horizontal slash. The two locked blades and Jon grabbed Paxton's wrist with his left hand before prying the sword from Paxton's grip. With Paxton's sword, Jon knocked Aiden's attack clear from his chest with a fierce block before hitting Aiden in the chest with his original sword.

With Aiden down, Jon turned to Paxton who finally spoke, "I don't have a sword anymore. In battle, I'd be good as dead. I surrender."

 ** _Skill Level Up: Two-Handed +100  
Evasion +100  
Skill Level Up: Blocking +700  
Skill Level Up: One-handed +300  
Sneak +100_**

 ** _Quest Completed!_**

 ** _Rodrik's Recruits  
Rodrik's Recruits: Face and defeat Rodrik's Recruits in a sparring session  
Reward for completion: 4500 Experience, Gain one Additional Perk Point for Each Perk used while completing the quest, increased Reputation with Roderick Cassel, Robb Stark, Bran Stark, Theon Greyjoy and others._**

 ** _Quest Completed!  
Twin Blades: Defeat the twin blades of Aiden and Paxton and prove you are something special Reward for completion: 1500 Experience, Unlock Dual Wielding, increased Reputation with Roderick Cassel, Robb Stark, Bran Stark, Theon Greyjoy, Toddrick, Brendan, Daryl, Mykhail, Trevin, Jaime, Qarl, Aiden and Paxton._**

Jon felt super gratified that such a labor intensive task had provides such a phenomenal reward so he instantly brushed the Stargaryan Ring with his finger and saw his S.P.E.C.I.A.L. perks.

 ** _Strength: 3 (+1)  
Perception: 3 (+1)  
Endurance: 3 (+1)  
Charisma: 2 (+1)  
Intelligence: 1  
Agility: 3 (+1)  
Luck: 2 (+1)_**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon was grinning like a mad man as he accepted the additional perk points that he earned as a result of Rodrik's quest. The menu then transitioned to his HP, SP and MP and Jon chose to add another 10 points to Stamina since he had a lot of experience to earn before he would reach his next level.

 ** _HP: 120/120  
SP: 150/150  
MP: 100/100_**

 ** _Accept?_**

 _Of course I accept,_ Jon thought impatiently causing the list of his skills to appear. _It looks like I have three skill upgrades to set at the moment._

 ** _Archery 6 (1400/3000)  
Overdraw level 1: Bows do 20% more damage._**

 ** _Blocking 6 (1500/3000) (1)  
Fundamental Defense: Blocks prevent 20% more damage_**

 ** _Evasion 6 (1400/3000)  
Evasive Tactics: 20% more likely to evade enemy attacks Light Armor_**

 ** _Light Armor_**

 ** _Heavy Armor_**

 ** _One-handed 6 (1500/3000)  
Armsman: One-Handed weapons do 20% more damage.  
Dual-wield: Use one handed weapons with equal proficiency with either or both hands._**

 ** _Skill Level Up: Two-Handed 4 (800/1400) (1)  
Barbarian: Two-Handed weapons do 20% more damage._**

 ** _Lockpicking_**

 ** _Pickpocket_**

 ** _Sneak 4 (500/800)  
Stealth: You are 20% harder to detect when sneaking._**

 ** _Speech 4 (400/800) (1)  
Negotiation: 20% more likely to reach a compromise_**

 ** _Alchemy_**

 ** _Smithing_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon accepted and exited the menu.

"Well, I'll be. I did not think that you would provide such a fine showing today, Jon. Believe me when I say that I will be speaking of your excellent display here today with your father. Recruits, if Jon ever feels like training with you, I expect you to treat him just as you would treat me. You can learn a lot from this one. Anyway, it's time for us to get back to the more seasoned guards for our drills, if you all will be excusing us."

Rodrik looked to Robb and Jon, each gave a nod of agreement before he marched Toddrick, Brendan, Daryl, Mikhail, Trevin, Jaime, Qarl, Aiden and Paxton back to the other guards.

"Jon that was just… I mean the way you… It was so cool and…" Bran seemed to have so many things that he wanted to say about the spars that he was having trouble forming coherent sentences.

"Thanks Bran. That definitely was not what I expected to spend the better part of the hour doing."

"Seriously, brother. That was quite an impressive show. Father will be extremely pleased to hear of your abilities with a sword," Robb said, chuckling at Bran's antics. "Even Theon, over here, is impressed."

"Yeah, yeah. You beat a bunch of rookies, great work," though Theon's words dripped with sarcasm there was none of the usual malice that usually accompanied words to Jon.

"Well I think we've spent enough time here for the morning. Let's go and see what the performers are all about," Jon suggested while returning the wooden sword to the training rack that had been wheeled out of the armory.

"Best idea that I've heard all day from you brother," Robb agreed after returning his sword to the training rack and clapping a hand on Jon's shoulders before whispering conspiratorially. "Just so you know, I plan on beating you tomorrow so don't let yourself get a big head over night."

Jon laughed and gave Robb a playful shove as Theon and Bran joined them in leaving the training grounds to fulfill their stated purpose for going outside in the first place.

* * *

 **AN2: This chapter was SUPER time consuming to write. It will really make my day if you can let me know your thoughts on the chapter, the plot and my writing style by taking a few minutes to leave a review. I will continue to strive to make this an excellent story with as few consistency errors as possible in exchange for your feedback and support. :-) That's all for now!**


	3. SR003

**AN: Thank you all for the reviews and support. Special shout out to KunnegAndris for a suggestion that made this chapter much easier to write and will probably continue to play a very large role in this story in the coming chapters. I ended up splitting this chapter into two parts because it made more sense from a content perspective. Please continue to leave reviews about what you like about the story and what you may like to see in the future. Who knows, you may end up with a special shout out on one of the future chapters. :-) Anyway, here is chapter 3 of Stargaryan Ring.**

* * *

The traveling performers had set up a camp south of Winterfell's training grounds as near the Kingsroad as possible while remaining inside the walls of Winterfell. _With the castle gates open, the performers have put themselves in the best position to entertain visitors from the Winterfell while still allowing easy access to anyone from Winter Town as well as travelers from the Kingsroad that may have the want and the coin to make merry with the newcomers,_ Jon observed. _Surely, a good deal of the folk in Winter Town must have seen the band of travelers approaching. They will be curious as to why the group has not yet left the castle and will come to investigate. If the performers are worth their salt then they stand to rake in the coin by being allowed to make camp in such a busy location._

"You sure you're still up to visiting the commoners, Jon," Robb asked. "You may not bear the name Stark, but it would be a poor showing for House Stark if you were to go into their camp and faint like a woman."

"Didn't you see what Jon did in the training ground," Bran asked, incredulously. "He can do anything!"

"I don't know," Theon countered with mirth in his eyes. "I'd bet that Jon blew all of his energy before he made it to the main event. It's not uncommon for maiden boys, such as him, to exhaust themselves in such a way. Though a man with the breeding of a true lord, such as myself, would never exhaust himself in such an embarrassing manner."

"A man of lordly breeding, is that what you are, Greyjoy?" Jon shot back. "Please milord, I hope that I haven't offended the pile of rocks that you fashion yourself the lord over with my humble ways."

 ** _Speech +100_**

"Play nice, you two," Robb attempted to ease the tension. "There's strength in appearances and I wouldn't have us appearing like a bunch of squabbling women."

"Don't mind us, Robb. I was merely imparting some of my worldly experience upon the maiden faire over there," Theon smirked while lifting his chin at Jon. "Gods know that he needs it, when it comes to matters with the fairer sex."

"Don't trouble yourself on my account, Theon. I learned early on that the drivel that flows from your mouth is usually worth about as much as what flows into my chamber pot."

 ** _Speech +100_**

Theon bristled on indignation and began to reply but chose to hold his tongue when he saw the sharp look in Robb's eye.

"Come on, guys," Bran interjected. "I want to see the performers."

"Just don't get your hopes up too high Bran," Robb cautioned. "They only just arrived last night and it is unlikely that they will be doing anything more than setting up for their stay here."

The group continued their march to the performer's camp. There looked to be 20 or so tents of various colors arranged in a loose ring around a large central fire with a good number of people milling about set to various tasks without any seeming rhyme or reason. As the four boys got closer, it became apparent that the hustle and bustle that they were seeing was very well rehearsed. It was as if each person knew exactly the role that they had to play in order to get their camp up and running as soon as possible.

"You little lordlings are a bit early for the performance," a mostly grey haired man with a sharp face and a smile that caused laughter lines to become visible on his face, stated while turning pegs on his lute. "Is there something that I can help you with?"

"Thank you for your courtesy, good bard. I'm Robb Stark. These are my brothers, Jon and Bran," Robb greeted the man, gesturing to Bran and Robb respectively while taking note of the surprisingly broad chest and shoulders that the bard possessed. "This is Theon Greyjoy."

Jon nodded at the minstrel, surprised that such a seemingly physically capable man would decide to pick up and instrument rather than a sword.

 ** _Mance Rayder, Leader of the Free Folk  
Level: ?: S. ? P. ? E. ? C. ? I. ? A. ? L.?  
Reputation: 0%_**

The bard smiled at Robb's initiative. "It'd be my pleasure for you to call me Camen. Would you like to hear a tune?"

 _This hasn't happened before. The SR shows his name to be Mance but he introduced himself as Camen. Maybe he's lying about his name. Obviously he just moved the letters around a bit for the name that he provided._

"Do you know the Bear and the Maiden Fair?" Bran asked, clearly excited at the prospect of hearing the song that the men sometimes sang when coming back from a particularly difficult hunt.

"I believe that I've heard that song once or twice. Let's see how my memory serves me today," the bard began to strum the strings of his lute.

"Don't let him play you for fools, his memory is sharp as they come," a red-haired girl with shimmering blue eyes set on a thin face with pouty lips and a lithe body cautioned. "Camen, you don't want to give away too much about the performance, do you?"

"Ah, right you are. Well boys, if there is anything else that I can help you with do feel free to let me know. Everything should be ready for the performance in the next day or so. I hope that you find yourselves down here again to see the performance, in my incredibly modest and unbiased opinion, this troupe is quite talented."

Robb and Theon laughed at how quickly Camen changed his tune at the cautioning of the girl.

Theon's face expression morphed into what he must have thought to be the epitome of masculine appeal. "And who might you be, my lady?"

"I'm no lady. You can have my name once you earned it. The Free Folk aren't like you castle dwellers."

The grey haired man chuckled. "She's a fiery one, that girl. I think Old Maude mentioned that she wanted to see you before she started the lunch preparations. You best see what she wants."

The girl looked as if she wished to reply but chose to make her way to the large woman tending a very large cauldron near the fire in the center of the camp.

"Who was that," Jon asked as his eyes focused on the girl's retreating figure.

"No, no, no!" Camen laughed. "You heard the terms to get her name. I won't be betraying her confidence in the matter."

"Surely it wouldn't be the worst of things if you were to let us in on her name," Theon insisted. "A girl like that needs to be… addressed frequently, as many times as possible."

Camen's eyes grew hard as he heard the true meaning of Theon's words. "Take care, young lord. That girl knows better than most how to take care of herself. Dare I say it, there aren't many who can match her skill with a bow currently. Give her a few years and there won't be many who can call themselves her equal."

"I love a challenge," Theon countered, while walking away from the group to approach the girl. "Let's see if I can't convince you to tell me your name."

"This should be good to watch," Robb said with a smirk. "I give him a minute before he says or does something that puts him on her bad side."

"You really think it will take that long, Stark?"

"You two may have your differences, Snow, but even you must admit. Theon does have a certain way with the ladies, and it sometimes serves him very well."

"Uh oh, she doesn't seem to like that," Bran observed Theon wrapping his arms around the redheaded girl. The girl lifted her foot and slammed it down on Theon's before elbowing him in the ribs sharply and causing him to release her as she stormed off into the Wolfswood. "Ouch, that was rough."

Theon hobbled back to Robb's side. "It turns out that she isn't ready to handle this much man."

Robb was struggling to hold back a laugh. "It looked like she handled you pretty well from my perspective."

"Well, I've seen enough of this lot for now. I'm going to head into Winter Town to spend some time with my lovely Ros," Theon declared. "Robb, are you going to waste your day here or do you want to come with me and visit some truly talented performers?"

"As tempting as that is, I'm going to stick around here for a bit. I'm sure that I know where to find you, if I decide to make my way to Winter Town later."

"Right. Well, enjoy yourselves. I'm off," Theon tried to be casual as he left the camp with a slight limp due to the pain in his foot.

"I'm going to go after her. There are some dangerous creatures in the Wolfswood and a person can find themselves in very real danger if they are not wary," Jon stated trying to be casual.

"Has a certain redheaded beauty caught our Jon's eye," Robb joked. "If the way she handled Theon is anything to judge her by then I would think you in just as much danger being in her presence as any of the other creatures in the wood."

"Robb, you won't leave me too, will you?" Bran asked, clearly worried that he would be left alone in the performer's camp. "We just got here and have only met two people."

"Nay, if Theon and Jon want to chase after girls then the two of us will stick together as ambassadors of House Stark."

Bran beamed at Robb's words and started walking toward the large pot that the woman identified as Maude was stirring.

"Good luck, Snow," Robb wished as he moved to follow his younger brother."

Jon set off after the redheaded girl that seemed so full of spirit, entering the Wolfswood. _This place really is remarkable. No matter how large a person may be, the largest man is merely a child compared to these massive trees._

 ** _Warning: You are about to enter the spawn zone, Wolfswood. In the Wolfswood, you will encounter various creatures capable of causing physical damage. The unwary traveler will find himself falling prey to the numerous predators large and small that claim the Wolfswood as their home. It is recommended that characters below level 10 travel in parties to better combat the various enemies that will be encountered._**

 _Oh man, I did not expect this._ Jon thought while opening his inventory and equipping the bow and quiver of arrows that he had taken from Winterfell's armory after archery practice with Arya. _Hopefully the girl is ok. She didn't seem to have any weapons on her and it seems likely that there will be creatures lurking in the Wolfswood today._

Jon preceded through the Wolfswood, weaving his way through the chestnut, oak and hawthorn trees that were common this close to Winterfell. He walked for several minutes before he heard a roar followed by a high-pitched scream and started to run.

He saw through the trees that he was approaching a clearing with a large rock formation near a cave that the redheaded girl had climbed to escape a large black bear that was standing on its hind legs and snapping at her.

 ** _Quest Activated!  
The Bear and the Maiden Fair: Save the fair maiden from the attacking bear and make sure that she is safe and uninjured  
Reward for completion: 1000 Experience, bearskin, (?) beer teeth, (?) bear claws and increased Reputation with ?, the performing troupe and the Free Folk.  
Penalty for failure: Probable serious injury to ?, Decreased Reputation with with ?, the performing troupe and the Free Folk, probable negative long term consequences._**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon accepted without hesitation. _I thought the Free Folk was the name of the performing troupe. I can't worry about that now._

Jon crouched down as he nocked an arrow on the bowstring and took a deep breath before focusing on the bear.

 ** _Cavebear  
Level: 12  
HP: 400/400  
SP: 190/200_**

Jon kept the arrow at the ready as he moved closer to the break in the trees to get the best shot lined up while maintaining some coverage between him and the bear should it decide to charge at him after being shot with the arrow.

Jon aimed the arrow at the snapping head of the bear and observed the pattern of movement that the bear repeated as it bit at the redheaded girl. Its claws had found purchase on the rock formation and it was slowly pulling its body off the ground, closer to its frightened prey.

With a sure pull, Jon drew the bowstring and loosed the arrow. His shot was true and it lodged into the neck of the bear causing it to lose its balance and fall backward onto the ground, driving the arrow deeper.

 ** _Critical Attack! Damage multiplied by 10!_**

Focusing on the bear again, Jon checked its stats.

 ** _Cavebear  
Level: 12  
HP: 200/400  
SP: 110/200_**

 ** _Status: Arterial puncture wound: minus 2 HP per second, minus 2 SP per second._**

The bear rolled itself to its feet, causing the arrow to lodge deeper still.

 ** _Cavebear  
Level: 12  
HP: 198/400  
SP: 108/200_**

 ** _Status: Serious arterial puncture wound: minus 5 HP per second, minus 5 SP per second. Enraged: Boost to strength and acceleration._**

 _Boost to strength and acceleration, seven hells._ Jon thought as he nocked the second arrow and loosed at the disoriented bear that had stood on its hind legs and faced his direction before letting out a savage roar. The arrow found its target, lodging into the bear's chest near its left foreleg.

 ** _Cavebear  
Level: 12  
HP: 163/400  
SP: 93/200_**

 ** _Status: Serious arterial puncture wound: minus 5 HP per second, minus 5 SP per second. Enraged: Boost to strength and acceleration. Obstructed movement: Arrow lodged into joint seriously hinders mobility and acceleration._**

The bear seemed to locate Jon and began to lumber toward him. Four seconds passed before Jon could loose another arrow, hitting the bear in the shoulder opposite his previous shot.

 ** _Cavebear  
Level: 12  
HP: 123/400  
SP: 53/200_**

 ** _Status: Serious arterial puncture wound: minus 5 HP per second, minus 5 SP per second. Enraged: Boost to strength and acceleration. Obstructed movement x2: Arrow lodged into joint seriously hinders mobility and acceleration._**

With labored steps, the bear closed in on Jon and was only about 20 feet away from his location as another arrow found its target, causing it to roar in pain as the arrow struck very nearly the same place as Jon's previous shot.

 ** _Cavebear  
Level: 12  
HP: 93/400  
SP: 13/200_**

 ** _Status: Serious arterial puncture wound: minus 4 HP per second, minus 4 SP per second. Obstructed movement x2: Arrow lodged into joint seriously hinders mobility and acceleration._**

The bear was still attempting to move towards Jon but lacked the fury that it had after the first shot. Two shots and eleven seconds later, the bear collapsed to the ground, completely still and unmoving.

 ** _Sneak +200  
Archery +600_**

 ** _Quest Completed!  
The Bear and the Maiden Fair: Save the fair maiden from the attacking bear and make sure that she is safe and uninjured Reward for completion: 1000 Experience, bearskin, (30) beer teeth, (20) bear claws and increased Reputation with ?, the performing troupe and the Free Folk._**

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Meeting the Maiden Fair: Introduce yourself to the maiden fair and make a good impression  
Reward for completion: ?, increased Reputation with ?.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with with ?._**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon accepted the new quest as he moved the loot from the previous quest into his inventory. "Hello, I'm Jon Snow. Are you alright?"

"Aye, but if you hadn't come when you did then…" the girl trailed off while looking at the bear. "I'm glad that you did. My name is Ygritte. Don't expect me to run into your arms just because you managed to take out that mangy old bear."

"I wouldn't dream of it. I'm simply relieved that you're alright," Jon admitted while reclaiming his arrows from the fallen bear. "This brute had his eye on you and probably fancied making you his dinner."

"It's not the first time that a guy had untoward thoughts about me. Your friend, for one."

"He's not really my friend, it's kind of complicated. Wait a minute, you told me your name."

"Aye, I told you that you would have to earn it. I may not be running into your arms like one of those castle ladies but you've definitely earned that."

"Ygritte, that's a nice name. I've never heard it before."

"I expect that you wouldn't have. I'm not from around here."

"Where are you from, maybe I can place it."

"I doubt it. My family was really small before my parents were killed."

"I'm sorry to hear about your family"

"I don't need pity."

"It's not pity. It's a shame that your parents were killed. At least you got to know them."

"What do you mean by that? You live in the fancy castle with your parents and brothers and sisters."

"Aye, I live in the castle. However, the Lady of Winterfell is not my mother. I never knew my mother."

"It's cruel that you never came to know your mother but you must recognize how much better you have it than the people outside of the castle walls?"

"That's true, indeed. My father does not allow others to treat me with the usual disdain felt by bastards."

"It doesn't make sense to me to treat someone less due to circumstances that they can't control."

"Right you are. If only the rest of Westeros could come to that realization then there probably wouldn't be so many wars tearing the realm apart."

Ygritte's gaze fell upon Jon as she moved forward and cupped his cheek in her hand. "Thank you for saving me. If you want someone to show you how to actually use that bow while we're here at Winterfell then come and find me."

Surprised by the contact, Jon's eyes locked with Ygritte's and he nodded.

 ** _Quest Completed!  
Meeting the Maiden Fair: Introduce yourself to the maiden fair and make a good impression Reward for completion: Free Folk archery, increased Reputation with Ygritte_**

 ** _Quest Activated!_**

 ** _Free Folk Archery : Learn how to shoot arrows like the best of the Free Folk  
Reward for completion: 1500 Experience, increased Reputation with Ygritte.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Ygritte._**

 ** _Accept?_**

The quest was accepted before Jon was conscious of his actions. _Surely she does not intend to practice archery here, after being attacked by a bear. I should get her out of the wood before anymore enemies spawn._ "I think I did pretty well, taking that bear down when it had just figured out that it could climb the rocks to get to you.

"With as many shots as you fired, I would hope that you were able to take it down!"

"Alright then, once we get you back to your camp safely I will be sure to seek out your masterful instruction in the art of archery."

"You know nothing, Jon Snow. At least you did not seem to have any serious bad shooting habits, from what I could see. All the better, that means that you will have less to unlearn in order to shoot like one of the Free Folk."

"So who exactly are the Free Folk? At first I thought that was the name of the performing troupe. Hearing you speak of them makes me think differently."

"The Free Folk is much more than a bunch of people performing for some high up Lord. The Free Folk choose their own paths, the Free Folk take action when others hesitate and, most of all, the Free Folk decide what's important to them and seek it out."

"Wow, that is not the answer that I was expecting."

"The Free Folk don't usually fit people's expectations."

"How have I never heard of them before?"

"I don't know what goes on in that fancy castle of yours. Maybe you have, the Free Folk are called many other names."

"Like what?"

"I didn't even want to tell you my name. What makes you think I'll tell you anything more about the Free Folk?"

"Well, I did save you from a bear that looked like it was going to make you its supper."

"And I've told you my name, more than you need to know and offered to help you actually learn to use that bow. From the way I see it, we are more than square."

"Alright, let's just get you back to camp before we find, or are found by, any of the other creatures that claim the Wolfswood as their home."

Jon took Ygritte's hand and began pulling her out of the clearing and back into the wood, towards the camp. The midday sun had shone brightly and clearly in the clearing however the sun's rays were obstructed by the dense foliage of the Wolfswood, making it look much later. Their trip was mostly uneventful but Jon was surprised that Ygritte ever made to pull her hand from his grasp. He led her through the wood without accident and saw the end of the wood much earlier than he expected.

 _How did the return trip seem to take so much less time? It feels like we just left the clearing, yet here we are approaching the camp. I must have been more focused on the soft hand in my own than how many steps that I have taken._ "I never asked you, what did Theon say to cause you to storm off into the Wolfswood?"

"It's not so much what he said, that was fine. It's just the way that he came up behind me and put his arms around me before pressing against me as if he already had stolen me. It's one thing to steal a girl. It's another thing entirely to act as if you had already stolen her without doing anything to make it so. It just made me mad, that he would be so presumptuous to act like a man when he hadn't done anything to prove himself as one."

"Oh, I thought he whispered something to you considering the way you reacted to him."

"Words only carry so much weight with the Free Folk. A person proves their worth with their actions, as you did against the bear."

Jon stopped and focused on Ygritte.

 ** _Ygritte, Daughter of the Free Folk  
Level: 9: S. 1 P. 2 E. 2 C. 2 I. 1 A. 2 L.1  
Reputation: 80%_**

 _Wow, 80% reputation. That's the highest reputation that I've seen so far. Apparently there is some truth to those stories that Sansa loves so much. I saved her from the bear and have a very high reputation with her as a result._ "Does saving a fair maiden from a bear count as a worthy action?"

Ygritte took a step to stand directly in front of Jon before responding. "Aye. There are even some that would hear the story and say that you stole me from the bear, instead."

"Is that what you think?"

"I haven't decided what I think about you just yet. I am thankful that you took out the bear but that I'll be able to return to the Free Folk. I know that all men must die and that I'm no exception to that rule, but I'm glad that my day didn't come today."

"I'm glad that I found you when I did. It would be a poor showing for House Stark if one of our guests vanished into the Wolfswood, never to be seen again, before she had even been at Winterfell for a full day."

"Why are you so concerned about the honor of House Stark? From you told me, the Lady is not your mother. You carry the name Snow, not the name Stark. Their honor is not your honor."

"It's true that I carry the name Snow but my father raised me the same way that he raised his other sons. I suppose that, having learned from him and strived for his approval for so long, concern for the honor of House Stark has become very important to me."

"If you say so, Jon Snow," Ygritte let go of his hand and exited the Wolfswood. "Don't forget what I said about teaching you to shoot."

Jon followed her out of the wood as he replied, "Don't worry, I'll be sure to seek you out to see if you're as good as you would have me believe."

Ygritte cast him a crooked smile over her shoulder. "You know nothing, Jon Snow."

* * *

 **AN2: Mance at Winterfell with Ygritte before the feast to honor the king? Why would they be at Winterfell? I took some liberties with Ygritte's back story, I couldn't recall any mention of her family. What did you think of the dialogue sections? What are your thoughts on the story? I expect the Starks to receive tragic news about the fate of Jon Arryn and the coming of the king pretty soon. So Jon will be meeting his most loyal companion in the coming chapters. Let me know if there is anything else that you would like to see, it may just be incorporated. :-)**


	4. SR004

**AN: Hello again, this story took an interesting turn towards the end of the chapter. I'm pretty content with how the idea materialized. Let me know what you think of it when you get there, I think it'll be pretty obvious to what I am referring. :-) Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Jon and Ygritte made their way back to the performer's camp without incident. It was very surprising for Jon to see Bran entertaining the group by scaling the side of Winterfell's main gatehouse with impunity and apparent ease. By the time that Bran reached the ground, Jon had made his way to Robb's side and Ygritte had disappeared.

"I'm surprised that you would let him get away with climbing in the open like that, Stark."

"Aye, mother would have a fit if she was here to see him climbing the gatehouse."

"Good thing she's not here now, if that's the case."

"Now Jon, take care with your words when speaking of my Lady Wife."

Jon turned abruptly and saw Lord Eddard Stark walking towards him wearing a cloak embroidered with the Direwolf of House Stark and a serious expression. "Apologies, father. I did not mean to speak ill of the Lady of Winterfell. I was merely stating that if she saw Bran climbing again that she would not be happy."

"Right you are," Eddard acknowledged the conclusion that Jon had reached. "Robb, you let your little brother climb though you know it goes against the wishes of your mother?"

"Apologies, father. You know how Bran gets when he takes to one of the ideas in his head."

"That one shows much more of the wolf's blood than any of my other sons." Ned said with a slight chuckle. "Though, perhaps, Rickon will give him a bit more competition in that regard when he is older. Not to mention my youngest daughter, that one may be more touched than the rest of you put together."

"Father, I have been meaning to talk to you about yesterday," Jon said, trying to keep his desire to discuss the Stargaryan Ring as discreet as possible. "I really don't think we should wait for long."

"What are you going on about, Jon," Robb asked. "What are you waiting for with father?"

"Never you mind, Robb," Eddard advised with a hand coming to rest on Robb's shoulder. "As the Heir to Winterfell, there are many more pressing matters that merit your attention. As a matter of fact, the both of you will be spending more time with our Master-at-Arms. He had very good things to say about your performance in the yard earlier today, Jon. Taking down nine guardsmen is no easy feat, even if they are new recruits."

"Jon put on quite the show. You would have been proud."

"Aye, I am proud. I expect you to be able to match his feat in the near future. That is precisely why I have arranged for the both of you to spend each morning with the guard until directed otherwise. If you expect men to fight for you, then you must show yourself as willing to fight both with and for them."

"We will prove ourselves to the guard," Jon answered the unspoken direction with mixed feelings, pride at the complements Lord Stark bestowed upon him and mild irritation since his question remained unanswered. "I expect that the recruits are itching for rematches after this morning."

"I expect they will be, if what Rodrik told me was true. Be wary Jon, sometimes it is better to keep your full potential disguised. If your enemy knows what you can do then he is already half way to defeating you."

"I will take those words to heart."

"See to it that you do. Otherwise you may not like the results."

 _Is father still talking about sparring or is he referring to the Stargaryan Ring?_ "Worry not, father. I will heed your words."

"Right you will. Robb, with me. There are matters of estate that need dealt with and I would like you to accompany me."

"I'm with you, father."

"Jon, see to it that Bran's feet stay firmly on the ground and get him back to the castle before his mother hears that he was climbing again."

 ** _Quest Activated:  
Bring Bran Back Home: Get Bran to Winterfell before word of his exploits reaches the castle or worse, his mother  
Reward for completion: Increased reputation with Bran Stark, Rob Stark and Eddard Stark  
Penalty for failure: Increased reputation with Bran Stark, Rob Stark and Eddard Stark and decreased reputation with Catelyn Stark_**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon's gaze found Bran apprehensively as he accepted the quest. "I don't think that anything could keep Bran's feet on the ground for long."

Ned chuckled. "Right you are, Jon. Still, do try to make sure that if he is going to continue to defy his mother that he is a shade more discreet about it."

"As you say, father. You mentioned estate business. Bran is well aware of the route back to the castle. Wouldn't you rather have me accompany you and Robb?"

"That won't be necessary. You brought honor to House Stark this morning with your exploits. It is Robb's turn to help build the reputation of House Stark."

"If that is what you wish, father," Jon said, contemplating the meaning of Lord Stark's words. _I wonder what the two of them could be doing that would build the reputation of House Stark._

Jon excused himself and made his way over to Bran who was chattering excitedly with some of the children with that had come to Winterfell with the performing troupe. Bran saw Jon approaching and broke off his conversation with the other children.

"Welcome back, Jon. Did father say where he was off to with Robb?"

"Not specifically, he mentioned estate business and Robb building the reputation of House Stark."

"Neither one of those options sounds like they will be much fun. I bet Robb wishes he was so lucky."

"I think he may be the lucky one."

"Well, what would you know?"

"Maybe you're right."

"Of course I am," Bran said with a grin. "They told me that their main performance won't be until later on in the week. They want to get the word out to as many people as possible for the first showing so they can get as big of a crowd as possible."

"That's a good plan. Hopefully they put on a good show. Did you get a chance to talk to Camen after I left to find Ygritte?"

"I did. He tells the wildest tales."

"Did anything seem off about him to you?"

"Um… Not really. He was definitely different than the usual sort that comes to Winterfell. Really everyone from the troupe is different than the usual sort that comes to Winterfell so it's hard to tell."

Jon's eyes scanned the camp for Ygritte's red hair but he was unable to find the girl. "Right, you are, Bran. Right, you are."

"What happened in the wood? Theon can be a little full of himself sometimes but usually girls don't react so badly to him."

"Let's just say that his advances were thoroughly unappreciated. When I found the girl, she had been chased up a rock formation by a bear that was set on making her his lunch. I was able to save her and get her back to the camp."

Bran's eyes went wide at Jon's statement. "You saved her from a bear!"

"Aye, it's lucky that I got there when I did."

"Now don't go on making me out to be one of those castle ladies that can't properly defend herself and is always waiting for someone to come and save her," Ygritte said, moving to stand across from Jon. "Camen wants to give you his thanks the next time he sees you."

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Mingling with Mance: Seek out Mance Rayder to discuss what happened in the Wolfswood  
Reward for completion: ? and increased Reputation with Mance Rayder.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Mance Rayder and Ygritte. Probable negative long term consequences._**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon accepted the quest while responding. "What did he have to say about you getting yourself into that position?"

"A great, many things," Ygritte admitted with a crooked smile. "Almost as many things as he had to say about the one who found me in that position."

"Good things, I hope," Jon questioned cautiously.

"Some. The good things he said were mixed in with just as many warnings about broody boys with dark hair and dark eyes that would like nothing more than to steal the hearts of girls who have already been kissed by fire. You wouldn't know who he is warning me about, would you," Ygritte teased. "Surely none of the fancy castle folk would want to mix with the Free Folk."

"I don't know about that," Jon answered sheepishly. "There are many worse words to use to describe a person than 'Free.'"

 ** _Skill Level Up: Speech +100_**

"Is that so, Snow? Maybe you might know a thing or two after all."

"What are you two talking about," Bran asked, looking back and forth between Jon and Ygritte. "Do you like her? Is that what it is?"

"Oh Bran, you don't know what you're talking about."

"Nay, Jon Snow. I changed my mind," Ygritte proclaimed while walking away. "You know nothing."

She flipped her hair, causing it to catch the light and glow like fire. _Kissed by fire? It must be a Free Folk thing._

"Alright, Bran. We've done enough exploring for the day. Let's get back to the castle before word of how you climbed the gatehouse gets back to your Lady mother. If you aren't there with your feet safely on the ground then there will be trouble."

"But Jon, we only just got here. There is so much more to see."

"That may be, but the troupe will be here for a while yet and there will be plenty of time for exploring later."

"Alright, Jon. I'll go back. Do you really think that mother will be mad if I stay out a bit longer?"

"Considering your mother does not like you climbing the towers of Winterfell, I suspect that she will be less than pleased to hear of you climbing the towers outside of Winterfell. Besides, father specifically instructed me to get you home and I don't want to disappoint him."

"He's never disappointed in you, Jon. In his eyes, you are just as much his son as Robb or me or Rickon."

"Thank you, little Stark. Let's get you back to the castle."

Jon and Bran waved their goodbyes to the troupe and set off toward Winterfell at a brisk pace.

Bran was first to break the comfortable silence that had fell upon them as they walked. "Were you scared when Ser Rodrik told you that you would have to spar so many recruits?"

"It would have been much more frightening if we were using live steel. The training swords can leave nasty bruises but really aren't anything to fear," Jon answered while stretching his arm across his body. "Besides, when combat starts, in that moment, it's kind of like the rest of the world fades away and all that's left is you and your opponent. At least that's how it works for me."

"Wow, that sounds like something from one of Old Nan's stories. I want to grow up and to be able to face down opponents like you did against the guard. Together we'll become the Wolves of Winterfell and people far and wide will hear of our greatness!"

"You've got big dreams for such a little boy. You're going to have to learn to wield a sword before you can begin carving your way into history."

"Does that mean that you won't be there with me when I do?"

"Of course, I'll be there. Nothing would make me or anyone in the Stark family more proud than to see you achieve such high ambitions."

Bran smiled and ran along the path into the training grounds.

"Didn't get your fill earlier, Jon? Are you back for more sparring," Rodrik asked when Jon followed Bran into the training ground. "The fresh recruits are anxious for rematches against you."

"It seems that they will have plenty of chances. At Lord Stark's instruction, Robb and I are to train with you and the guard every morning until directed otherwise."

"Keep making displays like this morning and I'm sure that you will be 'directed otherwise' sooner than later, lad."

"Maybe so, maybe not. Either way, training with you lot will be a great way to start the day and I, for one, am very much looking forward to it."

"Well said! Be sure to bring that enthusiasm with you tomorrow morning. Now get along, I should be getting back to the drills with the men."

"Come along, Bran," Jon insisted.

Bran turned his head from the drills with a pitiable look. "But Jon, we're back at the castle. Surely spending the rest of the afternoon with Rodrik would be good enough for mother."

"If only it were so. Your father insisted that I get you back to the castle, let us not fail him when we are so close to fulfilling our objective."

"Alright," Bran agreed with a huff walking toward the castle's door and pulling it open. "Then let's get on with it."

Jon followed his younger brother into the castle and pulled the door closed behind him.

 ** _Quest Completed!  
Bring Bran Back Home: Get Bran to Winterfell before word of his exploits reaches the castle or worse, his mother  
Reward for completion: Increased reputation with Bran Stark, Rob Stark and Eddard Stark._**

When Jon turned his attention away from the door he caught a glimpse of Bran scampering around a corner and out of sight. Jon hurried to follow and ended up colliding with an old man carrying a load of books which resulted in the books falling to the floor.

"Apologies, Maester Luwin! I was following Bran and did not expect anyone to be coming around the corner. Are you alright? Here, let me help you with those books!"

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Learning from Luwin: Prove that there is more to you than what you can do on a battlefield and learn from the Maester of Winterfell.  
Reward for completion: ? Experience and increased Reputation with Maester Luwin.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Maester Luwin. Probable negative long term consequences._**

 ** _Accept?_**

"It is forgiven and forgotten. However, I would appreciate your help in getting those books up to my chamber. The task would have been arduous enough without the unexpected fall. It seems that as unlucky as I was in falling that I was equally lucky to find someone able and willing to carry my burden up all of those stairs."

Jon accepted his new quest and collected the fallen books: _A Game at Dinner_ , _De Rerum Dirennis_ , _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros_ , _Mannimarco: King of Worms,_ _Song of the Alchemists, Reality & Other Falsehoods, Before the Ages of Man, Proper Lock Design, Withershins, Legend of Krately House _and _The Buying Game._

"Of course, I'll help you with your books Maester. What are all of these?"

"I've found that those books, beyond all others in my collection provide more clarity about their subject material than almost all others," the Maester stated knowingly while navigating toward the staircase that led to his chambers. "You should read them when we get to my chambers. I'm sure that you will find them to be enlightening."

"Um, I suppose I can do that. Can you tell me what they are about so I'll have a better idea of which I would prefer to read first?"

"Indeed, I can. _A Game at Dinner_ tells the tale of a spy who has made a potion and snuck it into the drink of the other people at the dinner."

"Woah, I didn't think that you would have a book about that. It sounds like it could be very interesting."

"Absolutely. It is both interesting and informative, while having a narrative style that could surely capture your attention. _De Rerum Dirennis_ is a historical account of the brewing of potions and poisons."

"That sounds like it will be good to know in the long run but may not be as interesting as _A Game at Dinner."_

"Be that as it may, it and _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros_ are a great foundation to start from if one wishes to learn the art of potion making."

"Maybe I could read _A Game at Dinner_ first, that way my introduction to the subject captures my interest. I think that will make _De Rerum Dirennis_ and _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros_ much more approachable."

"If you still struggle to read _De Rerum Dirennis_ and _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros_ after reading _A Game at Dinner_ then I would recommend _Mannimarco: King of Worms._ It is a fantastic tale wherein Mannimarco concocts a potion that was able to raise his loved one from the dead, thus robbing the worms of their dinner and becoming their king.

"That sounds so strange. Who thinks to write of that?"

"A renowned writer of old named Horicles was the one to tell Mannimarco's tale. _Song of the Alchemists_ is most likely the third book that you will wish to read on the subject of alchemy. It teaches that alchemy and potion making is much more than simply combining ingredients, you have to put your very soul into the mix in order to get the best result."

"That sounds like it will be easier to read than texts like _De Rerum Dirennis_ and _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros._ "

"Perhaps your feelings will change once you have had a chance to read the books."

"What of the others?"

" _Reality & Other Falsehoods, Before the Ages of Man, Proper Lock Design, Withershins, Legend of Krately House _and _The Buying Game_? Let us speak of those once you have read the five books that I have just described to you," Maester Luwin deferred with a slight wheeze from their journey up the stairs. "I do enjoy chatting about books, but I'd like to see if you can get through those five before we go off on any of the tangents that you will find within the other six books that you carry."

"That makes sense. It seems that we've reached your chambers. Could you get the door? My hands are a little full."

Maester Luwin moved around Jon and entered his key into the door lock and opened the door. The wall opposite the corner where the door opened could not be seen due to presence of many high shelves filled with books. A bed that was very similar to Jon's was against the wall furthest from the door. Immediately to the right of the door was a table where Jon set the books that he was carrying. There was an unlit fireplace on the other side of the table with two chairs set to allow the occupant to read comfortably when the fire is lit.

"Can I take _A Game at Dinner_ with me?"

"I wouldn't recommend it. It's incredibly easy to get lost in a book like that. How about you take a seat in one of the chairs and see what you can learn from that book?"

 _Maester Luwin pretty much said the name of the quest. It sounds like I'm going to be spending some time up here._ "Thank you, Maester Luwin."

"You are quite welcome. Let me know your thoughts on the book. Reading can be quite the experience."

Jon sat in the chair, opened the book and started to read…

* * *

 _A Game at Dinner_

Jon found himself standing in front of a circular table dicing a large blue Deathbell flower with a very sharp knife. Once the Deathbell flower was thoroughly diced, Jon grabbed a jar filled with giant yellow lichen. He opened the jar and a noxious smell filled the air. With the knife, he scraped the diced Deathbell into the jar with the lichen before pulling a ratty skeever tail from the apothecary satchel on the table and dropping it in with the Deathbell and the lichen.

Moving with the jar to the fireplace, Jon ladled a spoonful of boiling water into the jar and followed quickly by another. At that point, the jar was halfway full and the ingredients were breaking down rapidly causing the solution to turn an extremely dark green color that was almost black.

"This will make them rue the day that they dared to betray Lord Stark!"

Jon closed the jar with a maniacal grin on his face. It was time to go to dinner.

Despite his murderous intentions, Jon presented himself as the ideal guest. He smiled at the other people who had chosen to attend the dinner and made small talk while maneuvering himself towards the kitchen. When the other guests were distracted, Jon edged into the kitchen while removing the jar from his pocket.

The cauldron with soup was still simmering though it had been removed from the fire. Taking one last look around, Jon dumped the contents of the jar into the cauldron and gave it a few stirs to spread the liquid as thoroughly as possible. Satisfied with his efforts, Jon stashed the jar with other jars of similar size which looked like they had been used while creating the simmering soup.

Jon did not spare another glance at the now defiled soup as he left the kitchen and reintegrated himself with the other guests. His face fell in disappointment like the other guests when the host called for silence and gestured for the guests to make their way into the dining hall.

"Honored guests, I, Ramsey Bolton, would like to thank you on behalf of House Bolton. We do so enjoy your company and ask that you join us for supper. Let us break bread in celebration of our continued good health and good fortune."

The guests made their way to the dining hall and shortly found themselves being served generous portions of soup with large hunks of buttered bread and hearty portions of ale. Jon smiled as he looked at the soup and grabbed his goblet of ale, taking a hearty drink.

Ramsey also took a deep drink from his ale before addressing his guests again. "Let us enjoy the finest soup that can be found on this side of the Neck in the cold winter months."

Ramsey's invitation was all that his guests needed on that particularly cold night to dig in to the soup ravenously. Unlike the others, Jon continued to take slow drinks from his goblet.

The man to Jon's left slumped onto the table causing a cry of alarm from the person to his right. One by one, the other guests collapsed into their soups until only two people remained upright. Ramsey tried to form words to articulate his rage but found his mouth to be unresponsive to his thoughts. After 30 seconds of fighting against the poisoned soup, Ramsey two slumped onto the table.

"That's what happens to those who would betray their sworn king to his enemies. Robb Stark was a good man and a good king. For you to betray his trust in exchange for promises and Lannister gold, well there is just no forgiving such treachery. You had all been sentenced to death by your actions but were too busy celebrating to recognize the wolf in sheep's clothing that was in your midst. Your names will be forgotten by history but the North will remember what happens to those that wish to betray House Stark."

* * *

 ** _Alchemy +500  
_** ** _Sneak +500  
_** ** _Speech +500_**

"Woah," Jon sighed while closing _A Game at Dinner._ "That was surreal."

"You've finished, have you," Maester Luwin asked. "Was the book every bit as engaging as you expected? Did you learn the lesson from that book? Tell me what happened"

"The spy created a poison to use as a death sentence for those that had dared to turn against their king in exchange for gold and promises."

"Very good. Was that the only lesson that you learned from that book?"

"Nay, it would seem that we must be wary of Boltons and Lannisters and so too must they beware of wolves hiding in their midst."

"Right you are. The North remembers how the Boltons have clashed against and chafed under Stark rule over the years. Sure enough the prospect of gold and the whispered promises of the Lannisters could give the Boltons enough of an incentive to act on their hearts' desires. Surely, if they were to do so, they would do all they could to take House Stark's place as the strongest Northern House."

 ** _Quest Completed!  
Learning from Luwin  
Learn from the Maester of Winterfell.  
Reward for completion: 1500 Experience and increased Reputation with Maester Luwin._**

"Thank you, Maester Luwin. I don't think that I'm up for another of those books today but, if it would not be terribly inconvenient to you, I would like to come back tomorrow to read _Mannimarco: King of Worms._ "

"It warms my old heart to see a youth taking such an active approach to scholarship. Feel free to return tomorrow. Mannimarco's story is every bit as captivating as that of the spy."

Jon stood from the chair and walked over to the table where he had set the other books and gently set _A Game at Dinner_ on top of the stack. "Thank you again, Maester. If reading is that intense for you every time you read, then it makes much more sense why you have so many books."

"Not all books are quite so well written as _A Game at Dinner_ , Jon. However, there are lessons to be learned from all books if you take the time to discover them."

* * *

 **AN2: How's that for a Skill Book?! I had to figure out a way to incorporate it in a more meaningful way than just gaining one level to the skill since the first book would only be 100 exp to get to level two and I can't really buy into him chancing across one of these books in the future and getting thousands of experience points... Or can I? This bears some thought.**

 **At the moment, I'm saying 500 exp per skill used to complete the Skill Book story line but that is tentative based on whether or not the Skill Books become more elaborate as he finds more for each skill. Please let me know if you liked the concept of the Skill Book subplot and if you think exp gains from Skill Books should remain static at 500 exp per skill or if later skill books should have higher difficulty, lower chance of success and higher exp rewards.**

 **That's all for now. Please review!**


	5. SR005

**AN: Hello again, welcome to the next installment of Stargaryan Ring. Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed and, most of all, reviewed this story. It really makes my day to get notifications about this story. :-) Without further ado, enjoy**

* * *

Jon could not stop thinking about what he had seen when he opened and read _A Game at Dinner_ as he made his way down from Maester Luwin's chambers. He knew for a fact that he never saw anyone that was present at the dinner in his real life yet, while he was experiencing the book, everyone seemed so real. He couldn't explain it, but he truly believed that they were real people that he could someday meet in his day-to-day dealings.

 _If those were real people, does that mean that they would truly turn on Robb someday in the future when he assumes his father's mantle as Lord Stark? I must not allow it to happen if it's true. However, what if this book told the tale of a betrayal against one of the other Lord Starks of the past? I wouldn't be able to face myself if I let anything like that happen to Robb without doing all I could to prevent it. I'll have to train hard to make sure that, if anything like this ever occurs, I am able to protect him from such treachery._

Jon passed a window and saw that the sun had started to dip low in the sky. _How long was I up there with that book? I'll take a light supper and head to bed. Tomorrow promises to be just as full of activity between the drills with the castle guard, seeking out Camen, or is it Mance, and whatever will happen while experiencing 'Mannimarco: King of Worms.'_

In short time, Jon found himself in the kitchen collecting a small supper of mutton stew and bread to take back to his chambers. Once inside his chambers, Jon ate his supper and quickly disrobed before settling himself into bed.

* * *

 ** _After sleeping for 8 hours in a bed that you own, you wake feeling rejuvenated. All negative status effects are cured and HP, SP and MP are fully restored._**

 ** _Jon Snow Level 8: 20,000/25,500  
S. 3 P. 3 E. 3 C. 2 I. 1 A. 3 L. 2_**

 ** _HP: 120/120  
SP: 140/140  
MP: 100/100_**

 _Let me check my skills to see how far I've come since getting the Stargaryan Ring,_ Jon thought while opening up the menu and selecting Skills.

 ** _Archery 5 (2000/3200)  
Overdraw level 1: Bows do 20% more damage._**

 ** _Blocking 4 (1400/1600)  
Fundamental Defense: Blocks prevent 20% more damage_**

 ** _Evasion 6 (1400/3200)  
Evasive Tactics: 20% more likely to evade enemy attacks Light Armor_**

 ** _Light Armor_**

 ** _Heavy Armor_**

 ** _One-handed 4 (1500/1600)  
Armsman: One-Handed weapons do 20% more damage.  
Dual-wield: Use one handed weapons with equal proficiency with either or both hands._**

 ** _Two-Handed 4 (800/1600)  
Barbarian: Two-Handed weapons do 20% more damage._**

 ** _Lockpicking_**

 ** _Pickpocket_**

 ** _Sneak 4 (1,100/1,600)  
Stealth: You are 20% harder to detect when sneaking._**

 ** _Speech 4 (1,300/1,600)  
Negotiation: 20% more likely to reach a compromise_**

 ** _Alchemy 4 (500/800)_**

 ** _Smithing_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 _There are still a lot of question marks_ _in my skill list. Hopefully there is something in one of the books, that Maester Luwin wanted to save for later, will answer some of those questions._ _Before then, I was instructed by Lord Stark to report to Ser Rodrik to train at arms with the guard each morning. It would not do to make them wait. I'll go break my fast and make my way to the training grounds._

Jon equipped the Black Cloak, Black Tunic, Black Pants, Black Leather Belt, and Black Leather Boots that were currently his best apparel options and made his way downstairs to the dining hall. Since he had woken so early, he was one of the first people to arrive to break his fast. His breakfast was exactly the same as the previous day a buttered toast, hearty porridge and a handful of berries causing his stats to become augmented in precisely the same way.

 ** _Jon Snow Level 8: 20,000/25,500  
S. 3 P. 3 E. 3 C. 2 I. 1 A. 3 L. 2_**

 ** _HP: 140/120 (Effect: HP regenerates at a rate of 1 point per minute (x10) outside of combat over the next two hours  
SP: 170/140 (Effect: SP regenerates at a rate of 1 point per minute (x10) outside of combat over the next two hours  
MP: 100/100_**

Grinning at successfully anticipating the results of his breakfast, Jon left the castle to partake in the morning training. Surprisingly, when he arrived at the training grounds he found them deserted.

"Ser Rodrik ain't here yet, Snow," a voice called out. A sandy-haired, blonde of medium height and a thin build walked into view. "I trust you remember me?"

"Aye, Toddrick. You were the first of the new recruits that I had to spar with, yesterday. Got a mind for a rematch? I didn't get to see much of what you're capable of when we sparred the first time."

"Yeah, yeah. I might have underestimated you when we first sparred. It won't happen again," Toddrick stated while throwing a practice sword to Jon who caught it and gave it an experimental swing at his waist to test its balance.

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Takedown Toddrick  
Prove that your victory against Toddrick was no fluke by defeating him again before Ser Rodrik calls for training to begin.  
Reward for completion: 1000 Experience and increased Reputation with Toddrick and Ser Rodrik Cassel.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Toddrick and Ser Rodrik Cassel._**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon accepted quickly and focused on his opponent.

 ** _Toddrick Cerwin, Winterfell Guard Recruit  
Level: 4 S. 1 P. 3 E. 3 C. 2 I. 2 A. 2 L.0  
Reputation: 15%_**

 _I really should have taken more care to look at my opponents' stats while sparring yesterday. I could have planned how to best attack them based on their stats rather than simply hoping for the best when the duels were started. I suppose it's the difference in our Luck that allowed me to knock his sword from his hand last time._

"You plan to spar with me, Snow? Or are you going to stand there starring all day?"

"Try to hang onto your sword this time, Todd."

With that the two sprang into action. Toddrick took the offensive with an overhead blow that Jon blocked quickly before angling his sword to prevent a sword lock from occurring and whipping it around his head quickly in a sweeping one-handed blow that looked like it could possibly land before Toddrick recovered and moved to block.

However, Toddrick had a different plan entirely and ducked underneath the blow while regaining his balance and launching a two-handed horizontal swing towards Jon's chest. Jon followed through from his previous swing while angling his sword downward to intercept the blow while hopping away from the swing.

There was a clash as the swords connected but the two broke apart quickly. Jon swung his sword in a quick motion at his waist while circling his opponent and looking for a weakness. With a lunging motion, he stabbed the point of his sword at his opponent with both hands only for Toddrick to hop to the side just before the attack found purchase.

Jon did not let up on his offensive and shifted the wooden sword to his left hand before launching a horizontal attack at Toddrick's unguarded flank. Finally, one of Jon's attacks struck true. Toddrick clenched his left arm to the side that Jon had just hit while still keeping his sword raised in his other hand.

"Do you really wish to continue, Todd? In a real battle, if such an attack landed you would not be able to do so."

"I won't let you get the best of me again, Snow!"

Toddrick moved to attack when a voice sounded across the training ground. "Enough, Jon has the right of it, Toddrick," Ser Rodrik declared while moving to stand between the young swordsmen. "No need to burn yourself out before training starts. The other recruits will be here soon. Better luck next time."

 ** _Quest Completed!  
Takedown Toddrick: Prove that your victory against Toddrick was no fluke by defeating him again before Ser Rodrik calls for training to begin.  
Reward for completion: 1000 Experience and increased Reputation with Toddrick and Ser Rodrik Cassel._**

 ** _Skill Level Up: Blocking +200  
Skill Level Up: One-handed +200  
Evasion +100  
Two-Handed +100_**

"I'm glad you two decided to get here early. That'll give you more time with the training dummies to practice your sword strikes. Jon, since you proved yourself with two blades against Aiden and Paxton, I expect you to be training to use two swords in this exercise. Keep striking until I tell you otherwise, now get to it," Rodrik instructed while throwing another practice sword to Jon who caught it in his left hand.

 ** _Quest Activated!  
One-handed for Dummies: Use one-handed blows against the training dummies to increase your skill and become a better swordsman  
Reward for completion: 1000 Experience and increased Reputation with Toddrick and Ser Rodrik Cassel.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Toddrick and Ser Rodrik Cassel._**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon was quick to accept the challenge, since he had already been instructed by Lord Stark to train with Ser Rodrik and the guard. _If I get bonus experience for doing something that I already committed myself to doing then all the better._

"Lucky us," Toddrick commented as he walked with Jon to the training dummies. "We get extra time with these lovelies."

"Right," Jon agreed while taking a position in front of his dummy and swinging both swords in small circles. "I must say, after facing you this morning, it was a bad stroke of luck for our first spar to end the way that it did."

"Aye, I have no manner of luck. I never have, but I'm decently skilled when that doesn't get in my way."

"I'll say. I'll look forward to our next spar. Until then, what say you, we beat the straw out of these dummies?"

"That sounds like a plan to me," Toddrick nodded before launching his first swing against the training dummy.

Jon swung first with his right hand, then followed through his swing with a spin and launched a backhand swing with his left before landing a final swing with his right before quickly stepping back to his initial position and flipping his hips lo launch the combo using the opposite hands to swing.

He was able to complete the attack combination five times with each hand before running out of stamina on the first hit on the eleventh combo and raising his swords above his head to catch his breath and recover his SP. He was delighted to see that each strike earned 100 experience to his next level and to his One-handed skill.

 ** _Skill Level Up: One-handed +3000  
Level Up!  
Open Skills Menu to Level Up!_**

Jon smirked at the easy experience and watched Toddrick attack his dummy for a moment but, since he had just leveled up, he did not have to wait an additional 15 minutes for his stamina to recover. After a moment of considering the recruit's attack pattern, Jon once again assumed his two handed attack position in front of his dummy before reeling off another series of three strike, one-handed combos.

 ** _Skill Level Up: One-handed +3000_**

Jon was absolutely beaming when the notification faded from his view. He hadn't been outside of the castle for more than an hour and he had already gained 6,000 experience and another level. Unfortunaely, he had to wait another fifteen minutes before, once again, slipping into the stance that he had adopted in order to wield both swords simultaneously. Pushing off of his back foot, Jon renewed his assault on the training dummy and was once again rewarded with experience.

 ** _One-handed +3000_**

Jon grinned and looked over to the open part of the training ground where Robb was sparring against Qarl, the mousy and boyish recruit that Jon defeated the previous day. It seemed that Qarl had learned from the spar against Jon as he seemed to be keeping an eye on his opponent's legs, wary of non-sword attacks that could cause him to lose the spar. Despite Robb's much higher level, Qarl was able to prolong the spar for several minutes as he was able to put Robb on the defensive.

However, Robb proved himself the superior swordsman eventually and was able to force Qarl to surrender after a series of very precise blows.

Next, Rodrik aligned the brown haired, blue eyed twins Aiden and Paxton against one another. The twins moved in sync, as if they were attacking a mirror which prevented either from being able to take the advantage. After a few minutes of synchronized attacks, the pair grew exhausted and their swords fell limply to their sides in unison causing Rodrik to call the match a draw while mumbling something too quietly for Jon to hear.

In the following match, the haughty blonde with an arrogant look in his eyes, Jaime was matched against the recruit with long and curly, dark hair that fell to his shoulders, a pale complexion and a solemn face that Jon remembered to be named Mykhail. The two also seemed to have learned from their spars against Jon as they both were wary for feints and trickery that could cause an early end to the match.

Despite their increased focus on defense, both recruits proved to be capable with their attacks. Eventually, Jaime was able to best his fellow recruit and was named the victor of their spar to Mykhail's displeasure.

Jon noticed that his SP had finished refilling and was unable to watch the spars between the other recruits. Instead he, once again, aligned himself with his training dummy before releasing the series of three-strike attacks that had earned him so much experience. It seemed like no time passed between Jon starting his fourth set of attacks and him running out of SP for the fourth time.

 ** _Through repeatedly training to the point of exhaustion, Endurance has increased._**

 ** _Skill Level Up: One-Handed +3000_**

 _So it seems that there are ways to increase my S.P.E.C.I.A.L. perks through my actions in addition to random rewards from quests._ Jon quickly opened the menu and added 10 points to SP before he was prompted to select a skill.

Since Jon had not leveled Light Armor, Heavy Armor, Lockpicking, Pickpocket or Smithing, he was unable to add the skill point to those skills. However, he had leveled Alchemy yesterday and was able to add the point to that skill. It was not his first choice but none of the other skills that he was leveling were at a high enough level for their next skill point. _Also, Maester Luwin may be pleased to see me putting effort into Alchemy if that is the subject that he has chosen to tutor me in for the time being._

Jon reset himself in front of the training dummy and changed his combo slightly to account for the additional two moves that he could make due to his increased SP. The combo started off in exactly the same manner as his three-strike combo; he swung first with his right hand, then followed through his swing with a spin and launched a backhand swing with his left. However, the four-strike combo differed in that Jon again followed through on his third strike before hitting the target with a hard spinning backhand strike.

Jon executed this combo four times starting with his left sword and four times starting with his right sword before he ran out of SP for the fourth time that morning.

 ** _One-Handed +3200_**

Jon was thrilled that he had been able to earn experience so efficiently over the past hour since arriving at the training grounds.

"Jon, Toddrick. That's enough. With the rest of the recruits, now," commanded Rodrik.

 _Hopefully he won't make us spar after spending so much time with the training dummies. I need another 16 minutes before my SP fully regenerates._ Jon moved to follow Rodrik's instruction, walking to the open section of the training ground.

 ** _Quest Completed!  
One-handed for Dummies: Use one-handed blows against the training dummies to increase your skill and become a better swordsman  
Reward for completion: 1000 Experience and increased Reputation with Toddrick and Ser Rodrik Cassel_**

"So nice, that the two of you will be joining us. Did you have a good time with the training dummies? The next drill that I have for the lot of you is one that is essential for the continued wellbeing of Winterfell. Each of you will take an axe from the armory and go into the Wolfswood to chop down trees that have stopped bearing leaves for firewood. Once you have each felled a tree, you will then bring it back to Winterfell you will be afforded lunch with the guards before you return to chop the tree into pieces fit for a fireplace."

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Woodcutting in the Wolfswood: Make use of your Two-handed skills to fell a tree in the Wolfswood, bring it back to Winterfell and chop it down into pieces that can be used as firewood  
Reward for completion: 2000 Experience and increased Reputation with Robb, the new recruits, Ser Rodrik Cassel and Eddard Stark  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Robb, the new recruits, Ser Rodrik Cassel and Eddard Stark and probable negative long-term consequences_**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon accepted and moved with Robb and the new recruits to the armory to get the woodcutter's axes as directed by Rodrik. The group then departed for the Wolfswood not saying much after the exhausting start to the day's training. In the Wolfswood, the group dispersed so that each of them could find a tree that met Ser Rodrik's specifications.

When Jon was standing in front of a tree that was no longer bearing leaves, he readied his axe and struck a mighty blow. The axe bit into the tree but the impact was much less than Jon had hoped. Jon had to use all of his SP three times to fell the tree before he was tasked with somehow getting it back to Winterfell. Jon noticed that his health stopped regenerating when his health hit 120.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Two-Handed +4800_**

 _I guess that the two hours of SP regeneration is over,_ Jon thought as his most recent stat update appeared disappeared. _Now I have to drag this monstrosity back to Winterfell. Hopefully, I have stamina enough for such an endeavor._

Jon gritted his teeth as he lifted the tree so that it was resting on one shoulder before beginning an arduous journey back to Winterfell. He noticed a status update after the first step.

 ** _SP: 119_**

 _So it will cost one SP per step to get this tree moved. If the gods are good, that will be sufficient to make it to the castle and finish the first part of the quest._

Jon trudged on and made it to the training grounds before letting the tree and his axe fall to the ground with heavy thuds.

 ** _SP: 7_**

 _I am definitely looking forward to that lunch. With any luck, they will have berries or something else to help SP regeneration. If how much effort it took to chop the tree down is anything to go by, then turning this tree into firewood will be an incredibly exhausting task._

"Welcome back, Jon," Rodrik greeted a weary Jon. "Only Robb and Darryl made it back before you. Go meet them for lunch in the barracks then get back out here and turn that tree to firewood."

Jon was only too happy to follow the Master-at-Arms' instruction as he made his way to the barracks. He saw Robb sitting with Darryl, the muscular recruit with long, greasy black hair.

"Oy, Jon! Over here!"

"Thanks Robb. Though I was able to find you just fine with the way your red hair sticks out in this place."

"I was wondering who would be next to join us," Darryl stated after swallowing the bite of mutton that he had been shewing. "Stark here was sure it would be you. I wasn't so sure you'd have the strength to get back here before the others after the way you danced around during our fight yesterday."

"Cut Jon some slack, Darryl. He did what he needed to and made it through Rodrik's challenge which is quite a feat."

Darryl nodded as Jon took a seat and pulled a slice of mutton and a hunk of bread towards him. Wanting to determine how the meal would affect his status, Jon focused on the Mutton and the hunk of bread that he had grabbed.

 ** _Mutton: Completely restore HP and MP and regenerate 20 SP per minute for the next 2 hours  
Wheat Bread: Increase SP by 20 for the next hour_**

Jon smiled at the meal as if his name day had come early before rapidly finishing his portion. Not wishing to waste a minute of the increased SP regeneration, Jon hurriedly excused himself from the meal and made his way back to his tree and his axe.

Over the first hour, Jon consumed and refilled his increased SP six times while chopping the tree into suitable firewood. During the second hour, Jon depleted and regenerated his regular SP an additional seven times to finish the job.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Two-Handed +20,800  
Level Up!  
Open the menu to upgrade skills  
Through repeatedly training to the point of exhaustion, Endurance and Strength have increased.  
As a result of intense conditioning, your Endurance perk has risen to level 5. As a reward, your stamina is increased by 50 points_**

 ** _Quest Completed!  
Woodcutting in the Wolfswood: Make use of your Two-handed skills to fell a tree in the Wolfswood, bring it back to Winterfell and chop it down into pieces that can be used as firewood.  
Reward for completion: 2000 Experience and increased Reputation with Robb, the new recruits, Ser Rodrik Cassel and Eddard Stark.._**

Jon opened the menu and added another 10 points to SP causing a status notice to flash briefly before him.

"Alright, Snow. That's all I'll need from you today," Rodrik stated approvingly while admiring the freshly chopped firewood. "You're free to go."

"Thanks for that Ser Rodrik. Good luck with the rest of the recruits today."

With that Jon moved toward the performer's camp, intent on seeking out Camen to close out the task he had received when speaking with Ygritte the day before.

It took some asking around but Jon was finally able to reach Camen's tent. Standing in front of the entrance, he heard singing and the sound of a lute.

"Hello, it's Jon Snow. May I come in?"

"Aye, in with ya, Snow." The voice called as the singing and lute playing stopped abruptly. "I was wondering when I'd be seeing you next."

Jon entered the room and cast a quick look around. The area that he entered was surprisingly empty owing to the fact that the rest of the tent was blocked from view by a large piece of fabric which acted as a wall of sorts. All that occupied the space was a pair of very uncomfortable looking chairs. Jon remained standing.

"Ygritte told me that I should seek you out when the opportunity presented itself."

"That time is now, it would seem," Camen said as he stepped into the main area of the tent from behind the fabric wall that he had been behind. "You did the Free Folk a great service when you saved that girl."

"It really wasn't much of a choice, whether or not to save her. No one deserves to meet their end while being terrified by a wild animal."

"There are many worse ways to go but, indeed, you are correct. Either way, you have my gratitude. In addition to that, I'd like you to have this bow," Camen said while presenting a bow that had been crafted to look like a hawks wings while soaring through the sky. "You never know what the world will throw your way but with that bow you will be able to choose your own path in this world of ours."

 ** _Quest Completed!  
Mingling with Mance: Seek out Mance Rayder to discuss what happened in the Wolfswood  
Reward for completion: Hawksflight Bow and increased Reputation with Mance Rayder._**

"Wow. Thank you."

"Use it well, Jon Snow. I had intended that bow for Ygritte as it is meant to symbolize all that the Free Folk hold to be most dear."

"If it was meant for Ygritte, shouldn't it go to her?"

"That is a question that can be answered in several ways, Jon Snow. Yes, I crafted it for her. However, were it not for you, then she would not be here and it would go to another anyway. No matter how much time was put into crafting that tool, it could never replace what Ygritte has come to mean to me."

"I will do my best to honor the Free Folk and what Ygritte told me about them whenever I use this bow."

"Oh? Ygritte told you about the Free Folk?"

"Not much. She said that, 'The Free Folk is much more than a bunch of people performing for some high up Lord. The Free Folk choose their own paths, the Free Folk take action when others hesitate and, most of all, the Free Folk decide what's important to them and seek it out.'"

"She must have struck a chord with you to some degree for you to be able to quote her words."

"It is hard to find argument against those words. I told her that I thought there were many worse words to use when describing yourself than free."

"Right you are, Jon Snow. More than you know. Anyway, I should get back to my rehearsal. Feel free to stop by if it strikes your fancy," Camen said, politely dismissing Jon and moving to return to the portion of the tent that was blocked from view.

"I will. Thank you again for Hawksflight."

A peculiar glint came into Camen's eyes as his head whipped around to find Jon again. "What was that you called the bow?"

"Er, Hawksflight," Jon repeated somewhat reluctantly.

"That's a good name. I suppose Ygritte's words made you think of a hawk flying free when you saw the design on the bow?"

Jon shuffled his feet and fought the urge to break their eye contact before answering "It just seemed right."

"Indeed it does. As a matter of fact, that is what I had taken to calling the bow myself while working on it but I had never spoken the name aloud. It is quite the coincidence that out of all the winged birds in the sky that you came to the same name. There is more to you than meets the eye, Jon Snow. I must insist that you come back to visit before the performance so I can get to know the person who can identify an unnamed bow from a relatively unknown person by the name that they had chosen for it."

 ** _Quest Activated"  
More Mingling with Mance: Seek out Mance Rayder in the future for further discussion  
Reward for completion: Increased Reputation with Mance Rayder.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Mance Rayder._**

 ** _Accept?_**

Jon accepted the new quest before responding. "I will be sure to do that."

"I will look forward to our next conversation," Camen proclaimed while, once again, turning to walk back to the portion of the tent that could not be seen from the entrance. "You are an interesting one."

Jon was unsure how to respond to Camen's last statement, so he gave a quick nod and left the tent to make his way to Maester Luwin's chambers to see what _Mannimarco: King of Worms_ had in store for him.

Finding the door closed, Jon knocked sharply.

"Come in," Maester Luwin beckoned with a wheeze from the other side of the door. "Very good, it's you. Are you ready for _Mannimarco: King of Worms_ or did you want to discuss _A Game at Dinner_ in more detail?"

"I did wonder how much stock you put in the lessons from that book."

"The books that you helped carry yesterday do a wonderful job of letting the reader slip into the role of the protagonist. You will find that the lessons in the books are incredibly adaptable to what you may experience throughout your life. I do caution against believing that a person will, without a doubt, act in the way a similar character does in those books. However, I also must caution that the lessons that you learn in those books will show you what could happen if you find yourself meeting with or surrounded by similar characters in similar scenarios."

"It's like you're telling me to believe and not to believe at the same time. How can I do that?"

"Not quite, I'm telling you to take warning and use your knowledge to plan accordingly when faced with similar scenarios to help assure the best possible outcome for you and those you care about."

"I think I may need to read some other books once I finish the eleven that we have talked about already to get a better idea of what you mean."

"You are still young Jon. As you grow and experience more things it will become easier to determine when to use history as a guide to the future and when to trust your instincts. I will warn you that, even once you have gained the wisdom that comes with age, there will still be situations where you are unsure and have to trust your instincts."

"Then what's the point of all the reading, if it comes down to instinct in the end?"

"That is the exception, Jon. Not the rule. Continue your quest for knowledge through reading and you will find yourself in many more situations where you are capable of making knowledgeable and informed decisions than you would otherwise."

"Thank you for the counsel. I think I'm ready to see what _Mannimarco: King of Worms_ has to teach me."

"Enjoy the read," Pycelle nodded while gesturing to the book's new position on a shelf.

Jon grabbed the book from where Maester Luwin had gestured and took it to the same chair that head had sat in while reading _A Game at Dinner._ He took a deep breath and opened the cover.

* * *

 _Mannimarco: King of Worms_

Jon was very much on top of the world. He was Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, he had successfully allied the Night's Watch with the Free Folk, and he had earned the love and respect of a certain Daughter of the Free Folk who had entranced him when they first met.

With the Free Folk allied with the Night's Watch they were not indebted when to the Baratheon king when he made his way North, hoping to find refuge at the Night's Watch's main castle, Castle Black. Jon had met with the man and heard his terms but had to deny him on the grounds that the Night's Watch plays no part in the quarrels of the realm.

The king made appeals based on forgotten dreams of great titles and notoriety. Jon let it be known that a man of the Night's Watch swore to hold no lands, to wear no crowns and to win no glory.

When those prospects failed, the king added the promise of a beautiful woman to be his companion for the rest of his days. Jon let it be known that a man of the Night's Watch swore to take no wife and to father no children.

When that offer failed, the king appealed to Jon's sense of duty to help someone who was attempting to put to rights the wrongs that had been done to his family. To that, Jon replied, " _I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all the nights to come."_

The king did not make any further overtures to gain Jon's support after the third rejection. Instead, he conspired with the members of the Night's Watch who still bore grudges against their Lord Commander for letting 'Wildlings' into Castle Black. It was from them that he learned that, even though Jon kept to his vows, there was one of the Wildling women that he spent more time with than any, other than the fat Maester Samwell.

Not a man claimed to see what had happened. From what Jon had gathered, there was a sound of a scuffle in the training ground which was not out of place then the shriek of a crow. Ironically, it was Maester Samwell who ventured into the snowy training ground first, despite being uncharacteristically portly and unable to move very well over ice and snow.

Maester Samwell did not find an injured crow but rather the pale-skinned, redhead with blue eyes that Jon liked to spend his time with when he was not coordinating the activities of the Night's Watch. She was not breathing.

Not caring if it was considered to be manly, or not, Maester Samwell screamed for all that he was worth. This caused more and more men to make their way to the training grounds to see him clutching the woman to his chest as he rocked and tried to assure himself, for Jon's sake, that the woman was still alive.

Even though, the maester knew that she was not.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Maester Samwell, Jon appeared. He saw the shock of red hair peeping out from Sam's enveloping embrace and rushed to see for himself if it was the person whom he feared it to be in the arms of the maester. When he was within ten steps of the pair, Jon dropped to his hands and knees and retched violently.

"Maester Samwell. What has happened to Ygritte?"

"She's gone, Jon."

Jon felt cold. He felt colder than he had ever felt in his life. He felt as if all the warmth that had ever been present in his life had gone. The beauty that had kissed his world with fire was no more. The one flame that he ever put his trust in had been snuffed out.

Jon pushed himself to his feet and mechanically demanded that the man hand him the girl.

"Jon, she must be burnt. You know more than anyone what happens to those who die on the North side of the wall."

"Aye, I know. Let us prepare, we can burn the body tomorrow."

"Is that wise, Jon?"

"You will do as commanded by the Lord of the castle, Tarly," Jon spat, only caring about the dead woman that was currently in his arms.

Jon could not, nay he would not, accept it. He knew the ingredients that he needed. He knew how tenderly he must care for her body. He knew that his time was running out.

Fearing that the day would come, Jon had discretely acquired vials of Stark blood, Targaryan blood and Baratheon blood. It was critical to the potion's success that equal measures of Ice, Fire and Lightning be added to the bubbling vat of Wildfire which had been partially neutralized by powdered dragonglass.

Jon uncorked the vials of blood, not even caring what his ancestors would have thought if they knew that he had the remains of their relatives desecrated in such an abominable matter. He spread his right hand and grasped one vial between each of his fingers. With his mind clearly focused on the goal of bring his beloved Ygritts back from the shadows, Jon poured the three vials simultaneously into the mix of Wildfire and powdered dragonglass.

The addition of the new ingredients caused a large black cloud of smoke with the symbol of a skull floating over crossbones in its center to appear briefly before the potion began to show with a strong light that pierced through the cloud of smoke causing it to dissipate.

Jon's experiment had worked. He had succeeded in creating an Elixer of Life.

The stoic man broke character and, quite literally, jumped for joy with elation about his success. However, his joy quickly turned to sorrow as he found the spot where he had put his beloved had been vacated.

Jon's face dropped and he poured the mixture into a tankard with a lid that fastened tightly and would prevent any spillage. The tankard was hooked to Jon's belt loop as he raced down the stairs from his chamber to confront the person that would dare try to separate him from the woman he loved.

When he got to his chamber's entrance, he saw Ygritte's body tied to a post with kindling scattered about the base.

Seeing the Baratheon king about to light the unnecessary stake, Jon rushed over as quickly as his adrenaline filled legs would carry him and he decapitated the man before he could use his sword to set the make-shift pyre ablaze. Next was his red woman who always spoke of how the turning of the world were all part of her God's master plan. The next five were brothers of the Night's Watch who had been vocal in their dislike of Castle Black's new tenants that Jon assumed told the late Baratheon king about his friendship.

He ran up to the stake and poured the shimmering Elixer into Ygritte's mouth while tilting her head back to allow gravity to do the work of swallowing for her.

The effect was instantaneous, Ygritte's shot open and they were not the unnatural blue of those that come back after dying to do the will of the Night King. No, these eyes were all Ygritte.

The relief that Jon felt was indescribable. He cut Ygritte free and caught her as she fell forward into his arms. After that day, the two of them went North and were never heard from again.

* * *

 ** _Skill Level Up: Speech +500  
_** ** _Skill Level Up: Sneak +500  
_** ** _Skill Level Up: Alchemy +500_**

"Finished already Jon? What did you think of the tale of Mannimarco?"

"He was very noble to turn down the offers of the king to stick to the vows that he swore but it was that honor that got the woman that he loved killed."

"Indeed. What does that teach you of honor?"

"Honor is a powerful thing and can just as easily be a source of strength as it can be a source of weakness."

"That is a very good lesson to take away from that book. Should I expect you tomorrow to read _Song of the Alchemists?"_

"If it's alright with you, then I will be back tomorrow to read _Song of the Alchemists._ "

"That is certainly alright with me, young Jon."

"You should get down to dinner. I imagine that it will be starting soon."

"Thank you," Jon said while returning the book to its place on the shelf and leaving the maester's chambers.

After such a full and active day, Jon had a quick and silent dinner before making his way back to his chamber and falling into a deep sleep.

* * *

 **AN2: So that was chapter 5. I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the different story segments: One-handed training, the recruits sparring, two handed training, the chat with Mance, both interactions with Maester Luwin and Jon's journey as Mannimarco. Please review and let me know your thoughts! There may be a slightly longer delay in posting the next chapter as I've been somewhat neglecting Just Hold On and I want to get an update for the people following that story. If you haven't I'd recommend checking it out and reviewing it also. :-) I have posted Jon's up-to-date stats on my profile if you're curious or would want a reminder. Until next time!**


	6. SR006

**AN: First and foremost, thank you for all the reviews! I got some wonderful constructive criticism after the last chapter about my character interactions seeming too polished and tried to incorporate the feedback into this chapter. I thoroughly intended to write a new chapter of Just Hold On but, when I started typing, this chapter happened. I intended to keep to the model set by the previous chapter but figured that you folks wouldn't mind having the day split into two parts if it meant that you got new content sooner. Anyway, enjoy! :-)**

* * *

Jon was slow to open his eyes the next day, contemplating how sore his body would be after exerting himself to such an extent in the training yard and in the Wolfswood. To his immense surprise, his body did not ache from the previous day's efforts.

 _This ring is amazing. Sleep in a bed I own and no matter what I did the previous day, I wake up feeling as if I could climb the Wall. I am going to have to make the most of this while I can. The Stark words always come true eventually. Winter is coming._

Jon quickly dressed and made his way down to the great hall for breakfast where he helped himself to his standard breakfast of buttered toast and hearty porridge with a double serving of breakfast of berries to help speed his SP recovery for what he expected would be a long day of training.

When Jon arrived at the training ground he was greeted by the twins Aiden and Paxton.

"Ho, Aiden and Paxton," Jon called in greeting as he focused on the boys.

 ** _Aiden Woolfield_** _, **Winterfell Guard Recruit, The Right Hand  
Level: 8 S. 1 P. 2 E. 2 C. 2 I. 2 A. 3 L. 1  
Reputation: 15%**_

 ** _Paxton Woolfield_** _, **Winterfell Guard Recruit, The Left Hand  
Level: 8 S. 1 P. 2 E. 2 C. 2 I. 2 A. 3 L. 1  
Reputation: 15%**_

 _No surprises there. The twins are absolutely identical even down to their S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats._

"Come to mingle with the common folk again, Snow?" Paxton joked as a greeting. "It warms the heart to know you haven't forgotten about us."

"Or maybe you want to try your luck against us?" Aiden asked while moving to stand next to his brother opposite Jon. "Think you can handle us now that we know how you fight?"

Jon began to respond but was cut off by a loud chuckle. "Thought you learned your lesson about coming to the training grounds early, Jon Snow," Ser Rodrik said while walking away from the weapon rack that he had wheeled out and over to the boys to position himself between them. "You show a fair bit of promise. What, with your ability to handle a blade in both hands. The only problem I see with that is that if each hand has a sword then neither be carrying a shield."

Aiden and Paxton smirked knowingly at each other, seemingly knowing where Ser Rodrik was going with point.

"It seems to me that, if you are going to be waging you battles without a shield, you are going to need to practice dodging swords. You'll be spending this morning with Aiden and Paxton dodging their attacks. If you want to save your energy for what I have in store for you lot later on, well you best not be getting hit."

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Aiden's assault and Paxton's pursuit: Prove that you are agile enough to avoid the twin blades of Aiden and Paxton.  
Reward for completion: 1000 Experience and increased Reputation with Aiden, Paxton and Ser Rodrik Cassel  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Aiden, Paxton and Ser Rodrik Cassel_**

 ** _Accept?_**

"Lucky me," Jon muttered and accepted the quest as the twins grabbed training swords from the weapon rack that had been wheeled out to the training ground. "I guess it'll help my swordplay also to spar against these two."

"Aye, it would," Ser Rodrik agreed moving his body in between Jon and the weapon rack. "Unfortunately for you, this is to be an exercise in dodging. It would defeat the purpose of the exercise to arm you with anything that would let you dodge the dodging drill."

Ser Rodrik smirked at what he considered to be fine wordplay and crossed his arms resolutely denying Jon access to the weapons rack.

Jon's mouth gaped for a few seconds before he snapped it shut as a determined expression fixed itself upon his face. He brushed the Stargaryan ring and caused his status to flash in front of him as the twins reset themselves.

 ** _Jon Snow Level 9: 55,800/102,200  
S. 4 P. 3 E. 5 C. 2 I. 1 A. 3 L. 2 _**

**_HP: 140/120 (Effect: HP regenerates at a rate of 1 point per minute (x20) outside of combat over the next two hours_**

 ** _SP: 250/210 (Effect: SP regenerates at a rate of 1 point per minute (x20) outside of combat over the next two hours_**

"No time like the present," Jon said while angling his body to present a smaller target to his opponents. "Let's do this."

The twins did not need any more encouragement than that. They started moving around him in the direction of the swords that they were holding. With an unspoken agreement, both twins launched themselves at Jon from opposing sides.

Jon ducked under Aiden's sweeping swing and hopped to the side to avoid Paxton's downward slash. By the time Jon's feet hit the ground, Aiden was upon him again with a quick back and forth slash combo that caused Jon to start backpedaling.

Paxton once again came in with an overhead slash that Jon was able to avoid with the momentum he picked up while dodging Aiden's slashes. Jon noticed that Paxton had continued his pursuit and had redirected his blade to slash diagonally up from the ground towards Jon's head.

Jon was able to slip under the blow and spin away from the lunging thrust that Aiden aimed at his torso. Paxton followed his brother's lead and soon the pair was alternatively thrusting their swords at Jon causing him to dodge for all that he was worth. Aiden, Paxton, Aiden, Paxton, Aiden, Paxton, Aiden, Paxton.

Jon's dodging and their dogged pursuit caused the twin's breathing to become slightly labored. They broke off their pursuit and, again, circled around Jon to surround him. This time there was a nod before the pair launched themselves at Jon.

Unlike before, both twins launched sweeping strikes with Aiden going high and Paxton going low. The twins arrived at Jon's location at the same time and Jon was momentarily at a loss as to how he would dodge the synchronized attacks.

Following his instincts, Jon dove through the small gap in the attack and rolled on the ground in a quick somersault before finding his feet again and dodging another combination attack from the twins. This time the pair adjusted, one would launch a sweeping horizontal attack and the other would attempt to land a vertical strike. Aiden, Paxton, Aiden, Paxton, Aiden, Paxton, Aiden, Paxton.

The pair was now breathing hard but still had yet to land a hit on their opponent. Once again, they attempted to take positions on either side of Jon. However after the close call the last time Jon had the misfortune of falling into their attack in such a manner that he only just managed to escape and he did not care to try his luck again. Jon continued to backpedal to keep the twins in front of him until he found his back against the castle wall and he could back pedal no more.

The twins were sporting identical smirks as they had succeeded in cornering their elusive opponent. With a shout, they launched themselves at Jon with horizontal strikes and Jon successfully managed to dive through the multilayered attack before rolling to his feet and putting himself in position to avoid the twins for a little while longer.

Aiden and Paxton were beginning to run out of steam. They were both breathing heavily and began to pursue him aggressively while swinging their swords for all they were worth. As before, Jon was able to avoid the wild combination of blows. He was able to dive, duck, dip and dodge out of the way of the first nine strikes.

However, when Paxton launched the tenth attack, Jon found that his body was no longer responsive to his mental commands. The attack landed soundly on Jon's chest, causing him to lose his footing in surprise while falling to a seated position on the ground.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Evasion + 3600  
Skill Level Up: Light Armor +100_**

"So Jon Snow is mortal like the rest of us, after all," Aiden commented. "I can't believe that he was able to evade us for so long."

"It had to happen eventually," Paxton agreed. "We'll take a break and go again when we've all caught our breath."

After just over ten minutes had passed, Aiden and Paxton resumed their positions on the training ground and beckoned for Jon to take his place. Over the next two hours, the trio repeated the process four times with Jon dodging all of the attacks the twins could launch at him until he ran out of SP and found one of the twins knocking him into the dirt.

Jon was completely wiped as the last round of dodging ended and he no longer had the SP regeneration boost that the berries provided. However, he was pleased to have been able to make use of one of the skill points he gained the previous day to unlock the Light Armor skill Agile Defender.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Evasion +20000  
Skill Level Up: Light Armor +400_**

 ** _Level Up!  
Open Skill menu to Level Up and upgrade (1) S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Perk_**

 ** _S.P.E.C.I.A.L Level Up! Through repeatedly pushing your agility to the limit, Agility has increased._**

 ** _Quest Completed!  
Aiden's assault and Paxton's pursuit: Prove that you are agile enough to avoid the twin blades of Aiden and for completion: 1000 Experience and increased Reputation with Aiden, Paxton and Ser Rodrik Cassel._**

"Enough, you three. With the rest of us," Ser Rodrick's voiced boomed with command. "I hope that you didn't use all of your energy sparring or you will find yourself on the losing side of the next drill."

"Welcome to the fun, Snow," Robb greeted as he moved to stand next to Jon. "Have fun meeting the dirt while practicing with the twins?"

"I'd like to see how many times you find yourself in the dirt if you were to try and match up against the two of them, with no sword, for that long, Stark."

"I bet you would. Lucky for me, I use a shield when I fight. I doubt Ser Rodrik would make me practice in such a way."

"Each man must find his own way is what father said."

"Consider yourself to be a man grown, do you? I best warn the ladies of Winterfell."

Hearing the jest in Robb's voice, Jon rolled his eyes. "As you will, Stark."

"Jon here makes a good point," Ser Rodrik said while moving behind the heir of Winterfell and putting his head on the boy's shoulder. "Robb made a point earlier that the main purpose of the guard is their ability to guard Winterfell from those who would wish to plunder her secrets. No matter how good you may become with a sword, if you forget the purpose of the guard then all the skill with a blade in the world will not help you accomplish your most basic purpose. The eleven of you will be divided into two groups. One group will be selected to protect an object while the other will do their best to take the object."

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Take the Tower: Demonstrate your ability to carry out joint missions and to hold a position.  
Reward for completion: 1000 Experience for successfully guarding, 1000 experience for successfully claiming the item designated by Ser Rodrik. ? and ? experience if successful in both aspects of the mission. ?. Increased Reputation with Robb, the new recruits and Ser Rodrik Cassel.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Robb, the new recruits and Ser Rodrik Cassel._**

 ** _Accept?_**

 _Another mystery reward and bonus experience reward if I can successfully guard and claim whatever object Ser Rodrik sets as the objective. Of course, I'm accepting this quest._

The Master-at-Arms tapped Jon, Toddrick, Aiden, Daryl and Trevin on the shoulder and gestured for them to get out of line and face Robb and the remaining recruits. Robb, Mykhail, Paxton, Jaime, Brendan and Qarl stared down the group that had been assembled against them.

"Jon, since your group has less men, you can pick to either go on defense or offense first."

Jon looked at the recruits that made up his team and made the decision. "We'll go on the offensive first. The other group won't know what happened when we're through with them."

"Let's see if you can back those words, Jon Snow," Ser Rodrik challenged. "Take your group into the Wolfswood, wait five minutes then return to us. The item you seek will be on a stool at the top of the broken tower. You will have to devise a way to get past Robb and his group in order to claim the object and the tower in order to succeed in this mission."

Jon nodded and began walking to the Wolfswood, the other recruits following closely behind him. The group came to a clearing with a stump and Jon called the group to a halt.

"Toddrick, Aiden after training with you yesterday and today I have a much better idea of what you can do. Darryl, Trevin I haven't had a chance to work with you much yet. We'll need a plan if we're going to succeed."

"Just because you beat me at swords doesn't mean you get the command," Darryl protested. "Who says you will do better at it than me, or any of us, for that matter?"

"Jon has the command," Aiden countered simply. "Ser Rodrik clearly wants to see what Jon can do against Robb."

"I'm good with Jon taking the lead," Toddrick agreed. "He clearly has some mind for strategy since he was able to beat all of us in a spar."

"I just want to succeed in our mission," Trevin stated pragmatically. "If Jon gives us the best chance of doing that then I have no problems with him taking command."

"It is decided," Aiden concluded. "How will we do it Jon?"

"If I know anything about Robb, it's that he loves to show how much better he is than his opponents. We can probably get him to leave the tower to confront us directly if we can strike at his pride."

"And how are we going to do that, _Lord Snow_ ," Darryl asked sarcastically. "It's basic strategy to keep to the high ground."

"It is basic strategy. That's exactly how we can get him to do it. If we can get it in his mind that staying in the tower is cowardly then he just may give up the advantage to save his honor."

"Alright then, Jon," Toddrick prompted. "How are we going to do that?"

Jon raised his chin at Darryl quickly. "You may like this part. We'll have Darryl call out to Robb and challenge him to one on one combat. If Darryl makes it seem that Robb can't even match his _bastard_ half-brother in swordsmanship and that a commander who won't fight for his men is not fit to command then Robb will be honor bound to meet his challenge. While Robb is occupied with Darryl, the rest of us can sneak in, best the others at swords and claim the tower."

 ** _Speech +500_**

"They'll still have the numbers," Toddrick reminded. "It will be five on four."

"We have Jon," Aiden stated simply. "He'll make up the difference."

"Maybe there was something to letting you command," Darryl smiled. "Hopefully there won't be any hard feelings when I leave the heir to House Stark in the dirt."

"Don't count your victories before they come, Darryl," Jon cautioned. "Robb is a capable swordsman."

"Yeah, yeah. As you say, _Lord Snow_ ," Darryl smirked. "I see no flaws with the plan."

"They should be ready," Aiden remarked while looking up at the sun. "We should be going back."

The group took Aiden's words to heart and began to make their way back to the training ground. When they got there Darryl strode out to the ground in front of one of the Broken Tower's main entrance and began issuing his challenges to Robb.

Jon and the rest took care to remain as inconspicuous as possible as he led them to the entrance to an eroding section of the tower where they were able to slip inside. Inside there was a circular staircase that wrapped along the outer wall of the tower that would take them to the top.

After 20 stairs, they reached the first landing and Trevin was left to do battle against Jaime.

After another 20 stairs, they reached the second landing and Toddrick was left to cross blades with Mykhail.

Another 20 stairs, left Aiden to face off against Paxton.

Finally, after 20 more stairs, Jon met Brendan and Qarl on the final landing at the top of the tower. The two boys already had their swords drawn but were unwilling to leave the item that they had been set to guarding. Jon approached them slowly while swinging his sword a few times at his side in anticipation of the upcoming engagement.

"If you two prefer, you can just go," Jon offered. "No reason to come to blows."

"You'd like that wouldn't you, Snow," Brendan asked. "You won't be getting past me so easily today."

"Me either," Qarl added while putting himself squarely between Jon and a stool with what looked like one of the jerkin worn by certain members of the Winterfell guard. "I know what to expect this time."

 ** _Brendan Stout_** _, **Winterfell Guard Recruit  
Level: 8 S. 2 P. 2 E. 2 C. 2 I. 1 A. 3 L. 1  
Reputation: 10%**_

 ** _Qarl Flint_** _, **Winterfell Guard Recruit  
Level: 8 S. 1 P. 2 E. 2 C. 1 I. 2 A. 4 L. 1  
Reputation: 10%**_

 _I have the advantage in strength and endurance over both of them. If I use my advantage in agility over Brendan then I should be able to Take him out then turn this into a one on one match against Qarl which will be to my favor._ Jon slipped into the crouched sword stance that he favored when wielding one weapon and launched himself at his opponents.

There was a quick flurry of swords clashing before Jon was able to get behind Brendan and tap his sword on the back of his head. Brendan grudgingly admitted his defeated and dropped his sword before walking out of the room, leaving Jon to face Qarl alone. There was another clash of swords and after several well timed dodges and some impressive swordplay, Jon was able to best his opponent.

 ** _Sneak +500  
One-Handed +1300  
Evasion + 600  
Blocking +400_**

Qarl dropped his sword on the ground before leaving the room in a huff. Jon picked up the discarded weapon and walked over to the Winterfell guard jerkin that had been left on the chair. Taking the item in hand, Jon opened his inventory to get a better idea of why Ser Rodrik would leave something as common as the item that Robb and his group had to guard.

 ** _Winterfell Captain's Jerkin  
A black leather jerkin lined with a layer of chainmail that has been embroidered with the direwolf sigil of House Stark. It is an upper body armor that provides increased protection to the wearer. +20 Defense_**

 _Woah! That is a lot of defense for such a simple garment. No wonder Ser Rodrik set it as the item that we need to guard. It is much more valuable than it first appears to be and it also has the symbol of House Stark which is the main reason for the Winterfell guard in the first place._

"Put it down, Snow. You didn't really think that Darryl would be able to take me down, did you," Robb asked as he stepped onto the landing. "The boy has more strength than sense. Still, there is no denying that your plan was effective. It seems that it's down to the two of us."

"It looks like you get your rematch, after all, Robb," Jon said while putting down the jerkin and picking up Qarl's sword again. "Let's see what you're made of, Stark."

The boys sprang at each other, swinging their swords and pressing against one another as their blades locked for a moment, before they jumped apart. Robb and Jon circled around on another in a blur of motion with Robb very effectively countering Jon's dual bladed attack.

However, Robb was more spent than he let on after his confrontation with Darryl and, after the third exchange, Jon was able to disarm him and press the tip of his wooden sword to Robb's chest to indicate his victory.

 ** _One-Handed +3000_**

"Well done, Jon," Robb recognized. "It is almost like you are a different person with a blade in the past few days. You haven't been holding back against me?"

"Of course not," Jon answered. "Ever since we sparred in the yard, it seemed like something just clicked with my swordplay."

"I'll say. I was impressed with how you managed to take down the new recruits but still reckoned that I would get the better of you when we next sparred," Robb admitted while turning to walk down from the top landing. "Don't get too comfortable up here. Me and mine will be kicking you and yours out shortly enough."

"You're welcome to try but don't get your hopes up, Stark," Jon teased as he followed Robb down the stairs to Ser Rodrik who was patiently waiting outside of the tower. "The Broken Tower is mine, Ser Rodrik."

"Well done, Jon Snow," Ser Rodrik congratulated. "Now let's see if you can hold the tower. You have five minutes to get your men into position before young Robb will do all he can to take it from you."

"Aye," Jon agreed. "Though I plan to come out on top, as the victor, in this task."

"That's the right way to think when faced with an invasion, Jon Snow," Ser Rodrik remarked with a proud smile. "Tis one thing to say a words but a whole other thing to successfully push an invasion back. Now get on with you, time is running out."

Jon nodded and walked back into the tower to find Toddrick, Aiden, Daryl and assembled inside the door and waiting on him.

"A good victory, Jon Snow," Aiden congratulated. "Your plan worked."

"Even Darryl here isn't too upset with the results," Toddrick added while bumping Darryl with his elbow. "Are you, now?"

"Alright. Your plan worked Snow. Just make sure that I get the first chance against Stark in our defense."

"Right Darryl," Jon nodded. "Defending the tower is tricky. They could try to gain entrance in a number of ways while we are stuck in one spot. However, ultimately they will have to get in the tower so we know that they will eventually have to make it to the top of the tower. Since they are limited to the wooden practice swords in the same way that we are, I say that all of us take position on the staircase that way they can't get us stuck in one on one encounters on the landings and we can make them fight uphill where their numbers won't make as much of a difference."

 ** _Speech +500_**

"I want to stay in the entrance chamber," Darryl proposed with a haughty expression. "They'll have to get through me in order to get to the rest of you."

"Nay," Trevin disagreed. "If they rush you then we'll lose a man and be even more outnumbered. Jon Snow did right by us on our plan of attack. I believe that his plan for defense is as sound as could be expected."

"Fine," Darryl accepted with a huff. "Don't say I didn't offer, if this plan falls to shambles."

"We're running out of time," Toddrick commented. "We have to move if we want to get in position before they get here."

"Too late," Jon noticed. "They're here."

Sure enough there was a rush of motion as bodies rushed into the entrance chamber of the Broken Tower.

Aiden found himself squaring off against Mykhail.

Trevin was crossing blades with Qarl.

Toddrick had his blade locked with Brendan.

Darryl was trading blows with Jaime.

Jon found himself dodging attacks from Paxton.

 _Where is Robb_ , Jon asked himself while dodging a swipe from Paxton's sword. Compared to the dodging drill that Ser Rodrik had set Jon to that morning, against two opponents, the current task was much easier. _I don't have time to draw this out. If Robb committed all of his men to attacking us unware then he must be attempting to sneak into the tower._

Jon took the offensive and was able to disarm Paxton with a heavy blow just as he saw Jaime get inside Darryl's guard and signal his victory with his sword point angled up at Darryl's throat. Paxton and Darryl accepted their defeat and Darryl tossed his sword to Jon who caught it and swung it in a quick circle to test its balance before launching himself at Jaime.

 ** _Evasion +500  
One-Handed + 300_**

The dual bladed assault did a good job of putting Jaime on the defensive but Jon found Jaime's wooden sword in the path of all of his attacks. From the corner of his eye, Jon saw Trevin taken down and caught the image of Qarl hurtling toward him.

Jon spun in a circle and managed to catch deflect both Jaime's and Qarl's attacks while putting them off balance enough that he was able to leap onto the bottom stair.

The two pursued him up the staircase and Jon was able to use his advantage from having the high ground to tire them while spending minimal effort evading and countering their attacks. By the time they reached the first landing, Qarl was breathing heavily and had slowed considerably. Jon was able to take him out of the battle and renewed his assault against Jaime, managing to knock the blonde's sword wide with the sword in his right hand and point the sword in his left hand at Jaime's chest to signal his victory.

 ** _Skill Level Up: One-Handed +2600  
Evasion +3000  
Skill Level Up: Blocking +3500_**

Instead of returning to the entrance chamber, Jon powered up the stairs and found the top of the tower to be just as he left it. _That's a relief. I had worried that Robb would have found a way to sneak past us in all the commotion._

"Just a little further," Jon heard from the window. "Jon will never know what hit him."

Jon moved as quietly as possible took a place at the side of the window and pressed himself as closely to the wall as possible. A minute passed before a hand grabbed the windowsill and a body swung into the room, landing with surprising grace. Before Robb could recollect himself, Jon spun from the wall and crossed his swords at Robb's neck to indicate that he had failed in his attempt.

 ** _One-Handed +200_**

"Darn you, Snow," Robb wheezed. "I climbed the darn tower only to have your swords at my throat as soon as I make it to the top."

"It was a good plan," Jon commended. "If they were able to stall for just a little bit longer downstairs then we would have had a repeat what happened the last time we were up here."

"So you were able to get the best of the recruits again?"

"Paxton, Qarl and Jaime, yeah. I guess Aiden and Toddrick were able to settle out Mykhail and Brendan."

"I'll send them your way if I see them in the entrance chamber, but I think you may have just put an end to it for your team."

"Thanks, Stark."

"You're welcome, brother."

"Thanks again, brother."

Robb left Jon and walked down the stairs. Jon sheathed the sword he carried in his left hand in his bel, and walked back to the jerkin before picking it up. He took a seat on the stool and waited to see if anyone would come up the stairs and challenge him.

After a few minutes had passed, Jon heard footsteps falling heavily on the stairs. He jumped to his feet and brandished the training sword in his right hand while still holding the jerkin in his left.

To Jon's immense surprise, it was Ser Rodrick who stepped onto the top floor landing. "It would seem that you were able to back you words up. Congrats Jon. As a reward for successfully orchestrating the capture and defense of a location, feel free to keep that jerkin that you hold. You still have quite a bit of training to do until you will be able to wear it as part of your regular attire. After all, we can't have anyone who wears the garb of one of Winterfell's captain being bested by one of the recruits in the training grounds."

 ** _Quest Completed  
Take the Tower  
Demonstrate your ability to carry out joint missions and to hold a position.  
Reward for completion: 1000 Experience for successfully guarding, 1000 experience for successfully claiming the item designated by Ser Rodrik. All experience gains for skills used within the quest are doubled and 10000 experience if successful in both aspects of the mission. ?. Increased Reputation with Robb, the new recruits and Ser Rodrik Cassel._**

 ** _Sneak +500  
Skill Level Up: One-Handed +1300+3000+300+2600+200  
Evasion + 600+500+3000  
Blocking +400+3500  
Speech +500+500_**

Jon opened the menu and added another 10 points to SP before adding another point to the Strength perk.

 ** _By increasing Strength to 5, you get another 50 HP. By leveling both Strength and Endurance to level 5, SP and HP are increased by 50._**

"Thank you, Ser Rodrik," Jon graciously accepted. "I swear that I will bring the guard honor when I wear it."

"See to it that you do," Ser Rodrik warned. "I have already dismissed the other lads for lunch. You better join them before the mutton is gone."

"Aye, I'll do that," Jon agreed while moving with the Master-at-Arms to leave the Broken Tower. "This morning really worked up my appetite."

"Well then, eat your fill, Jon Snow. You deserve it."

* * *

 **AN2: Mostly a training montage but I came up with the capture the flag idea for a drill and the chapter kind of blossomed from that. Please let me know how you feel about the concept of the training drills and the ways that the character interacted. The next chapter will be more focused on character interactions and Jon reading the other potion books that Maester Luwin has in his library to increase his Intelligence. I inadvertently mapped out the story's plot last night and hope that you folks like the direction that this story is going to take. :-)**


	7. SR007

**AN: Thank you for the excellent response to the previous chapter! I was able to get this one out much sooner than usual since it is really the second half of the previous chapter. I very much appreciate the constructive criticisms that help make my writing and the story better. :-) Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Jon left the performers' camp feeling slightly put out after his mutton lunch with the recruits. Though there were many people milling about, he was unable to find Camen or Ygritte.

 _It looks like I'll be spending more time with Maester Luwin than I anticipated today. There are still three potions books that I have to read before I can get to the other books that he has in store for me. There is Song of the Alchemists, De Rerum Dirennis_ and _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros._ _Since I will have more time today for reading, hopefully I will be able to get through all of them today so I can start on the other books tomorrow._

Jon's musings were with him as he moved through the castle up to the maester's chambers. Jon knocked as he called out, "Maester Luwin?"

"Is that you, Jon? Do come in," The Maester opened the door and ushered Jon to the chair that he had sat in when reading _A Game at Dinner_ and _Mannimarco: King of Worms_. "Did you want to start with _Song of the Alchemists_ or did you want to get a better understanding of the foundations of brewing with _De Rerum Dirennis_ or _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros_?"

"From what you told me about _De Rerum Dirennis_ and _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros_ , it sounds like _Song of the Alchemists_ is probably the best of the three to start with today," Jon said, accepting the book that Maester Luwin had plucked from the shelf and handed to him. "I don't know what to expect after _A Game at Dinner_ and _Mannimarco: King of Worms_."

"Right you are, Jon Snow," the maester agreed while picking up several plants from the table and dropping them into a cauldron that was simmering over the fireplace and causing a pleasant smell to fill the chambers. "The tale it tells is quite differently from the two books that you have read on the subject of potions so far. However, I find that it really adds a human element to the art of potion making. Anyone can put ingredients together by following instructions, but to have a feel about why certain ingredients will work together is something different entirely."

"Alright then, let's see what the _Song of the Alchemists_ is all about," Jon said while opening the book. "It should be interesting at least."

* * *

 _Song of the Alchemists_

Jon felt a deep terror in the very marrow of his bones. In the beginning, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It was well known that there one was always risking their life when they went North of the Wall. It was a sad truth that ranging parties often returned with fewer men than when they left on their ranging.

However, over the past months their ranging had become increasingly perilous. A group of 30 Brothers of the Night's Watch had left on a great ranging, intent on going further North than anyone had dared since the former First Ranger Benjen Stark had disappeared when Jon had first arrived at the Wall. Two moons had passed before the remainders of that group had staggered back to the Wall. The thirteen men who had returned were mere shades of the men who had left. They had seen the worst the North had to offer and found themselves to be woefully inadequate.

They told tales of dead men stalking the unexplored wilderness beyond the Wall and how those men did not feel the way that normal men did. They told of how the dead had no fear for their lives. They told of how the dead attacked without a shred of concern for their wellbeing. They told of how the dead did not stop attacking when wounded beyond what the human body should be able to withstand. They told of how the dead attacked until either they had achieved their singular objective or until their body was so destroyed that the pieces could not move to continue their assault.

The broken brothers told of how they would huddle around the campfires at night as it seemed to be the only thing that the dead feared. The broken brothers told that even the fear of fire was not enough to keep the dead away for long. The broken brothers told of how relentlessly they were stalked by the dead. The broken brothers told of how the dead would be coming for them and how there could be no escape.

Jon was not alone in heeding the warnings of the broken brothers. The group refused to be separated and kept a roaring fire in their dormitory at all times as if they expected the dead to break into their chambers and steal them off into the night.

Jon's closest friend and ally also took the warnings to heart. Though the large man was, admittedly, less proficient with a sword than his stature would suggest, he was also committed to doing his part to make sure that, if the broken brothers were speaking true, the Night's Watch would be prepared. He had made the library of the Night's Watch into his temporary chambers as he sought a solution to the problem that was looming in the darkness.

Jon watched as his loyal friend devoured book after book, never finding the answer that he sought. Eventually, the portly member of the Night's Watch exclaimed, "Aha! That's it."

Jon rushed to his friend's side to see for himself what Sam had proclaimed to be the solution to their ever approaching problem. "Wildfire? How will that help us?"

"Don't you see, Jon?" Sam asked while gesturing to the pages of the book. "Wildfire is a substance that was created to mimic the effects of dragons' fire. The only difference being that Wildfire, once burning will continue burning until its target has been destroyed."

Jon nodded. "That's all well and good. I think I remember hearing about Wildfire in one of Old Nan's tales. Hasn't the recipe been lost for ages?"

"It has," Sam whispered, his face fell as he seemed to remember that knowing the one thing that could stop the dead was still out of reach. "We'll just have to keep looking."

Sam resumed his efforts picking up and discarding books after skimming through their contents. Jon was impressed with Sam's efforts and wished that he could be more helpful but books were never his strongpoint. He was one of the few men of the Night's Watch who could read and write but he was much more proficient with a sword in his hand than with a book. Jon paced the room for several minutes before he heard a horn blowing.

One blast, that meant that Brothers of the Night's Watch were returning. That was good. With how high tensions were after the broken brothers had returned, more men would go a long way in making the place feel more secure. A second horn sounded, Jon knew that meant that the Castle Black was under attack. Jon looked quickly at Sam before he unsheathed the Valaryan sword Longclaw and rushed from the library to meet the attackers. A third horn sounded causing Jon to stop in his tracks.

The signal was taught to the greenest of recruits. The blows of the horn had not been sounded in a thousand years. Three blasts of the horn meant that the Others were coming. The broken brothers were right. The dead had come back from their eternal slumber to wage war upon the living.

Jon rushed determinedly through the castle, to the crankshaft that would allow him to take his place at the top of the Wall to rain down arrows upon the attackers. The minutes that Jon spent in the carriage waiting to get to the top of the Wall were undoubtedly the longest of his life. He couldn't help but to think of what an army of undead would do if they managed to gain entrance to Castle Black.

Finally, Jon reached the top of the Wall and looked out upon the frozen wasteland on the North side of the Wall. What he saw left him speechless. As far as his eye could see, a horde of corpses were throwing themselves against the wall. He shoved his doubts to the corner of his mind and moved among the archers positioned at the top of the wall while grabbing one of the recurved bows used by members of the Night's Watch. The recurved bow provided much more penetrating power than a standard bow and was able to fire flaming arrows with accuracy into the army of the dead.

Jon and his Brothers could not count how many arrows they fired. They fired until their bowstrings cut their fingers. Still they kept firing. They fired until they no longer had the strength to draw the bowstrings. At that point, Jon and another Brother took the steps to let loose the large metal hook connected by an ancient chain to the other side of the castle which would scrape along the face of the Wall and drop tons of debris upon the attacking menace.

The apparatus performed just as it was designed and buried all attackers within fifteen feet of the Wall. This did what their flaming arrows failed to do. The horde of Others began to retreat. The men of the Night's Watch cheered at the small victory that they had achieved. With the Others attacking, living to see another day was victory for the Night's Watch.

Jon and the other Brothers made their way to the carriage slowly descended to the base of the Wall to join the rest of the Brothers within Castle Black. There was jubilation among the men as they congratulated one another for performing a feat for the ages by repelling the Others attack. However that was short-lived.

"They'll be back." Donal Noye promised with a grim expression. "We will need to prepare for the worst. We may have won the battle but the war between the living and the dead is far from over. Their army grows with each passing day. Ours does not. Get some sleep. The Seven only know how long we have until their next attack."

The cheeriness that had filled the air was replaced with wariness and a feeling of uneasiness. Jon agreed with the words of Donal Noye but, instead, chose to check on Sam to see if he had made any progress in the library since he was nowhere to be seen among the men.

Jon was struck by the cold he felt in the library. It was as if all warmth had been sucked from the air leaving a cold that sunk deep into his bones. Jon worried for his friend and moved to the table where Sam had been conducting his research.

What he saw nearly broke his heart. Sam was lying motionless on the floor in a pool of his own blood with an Other biting at his neck.

Jon's body moved of its own volition as he unsheathed his sword and brought it crashing down on the neck of the Other, separating it's head from its shoulders. The body immediately stopped moving and collapsed onto Sam's downed form. Jon steeled himself and stabbed the Valarayn steel through the back of the Other intent on piercing Sam's heart to prevent him from rising as a minion of the dead.

Jon found his body moving again as he moved to the table and put both hands on its surface, leaning over while breathing heavily. His best friend was gone. The Night's Watch had only delayed the Others but it was a certainty that they would be back. How much time did they have? A day? Two? Not enough.

Jon's eyes found Sam and the Other, both still impaled by Jon's sword. He looked away quickly and noticed that the book on the table was open to a page with the word Wildfire boldly printed at the top.

Sam had done it! Sam had found the recipe for Wildfire. Jon's eyes darted to a large cauldron that was sitting in the fireplace.

So that is what Sam had been doing. He had made his stand in the library while trying to give the Night's Watch true victory over the Others. Jon would see to it that his last efforts would not be in vain. He shook his head and took out his flint to spark the fire, adding more wood to stoking it until it blazed and brought the potion to a boil.

Judging from the color, Sam had almost completed the recipe. All that was left were a few ingredients that almost cost Jon the contents of his stomach.

 _To breathe life into Wildfire, there must be death. The more death that can be added to the potion, the more intense the fury that will be unleashed when the Wildfire seeks out your enemies._

Jon hardened his heart and retrieved his sword. The Valaryan steel sliced through the Other as if it were butter. One by one, Jon removed it's limbs and added them to the boiling cauldron which caused an acrid smoke to shoot up the chimney. Jon added the torso and the head last which caused the solution to become a faded green color.

Jon returned to the book and read.

 _The most potent Wildfire will have a vibrant green color. Only the freshest death can pay for the deaths that the mixture is sure to cause._

A tear formed in Jon's eye as he moved from the desk and brandished his sword as his fallen friend. Though the sword cut true, Jon could not stop the tears from splashing down upon his friend as he proceeded to chop him into pieces to add to the Wildfire.

Sam's left arm was added first. Then his right was added to the mix. The tears were still flowing as a bloodied Jon deposited Sam's legs into the solution causing it to become steadily lighter. Jon struggled a bit in lifting Sam's Torso but, soon enough, it too was deposited into the mix. It disintegrated almost immediately and the color became more vibrant still.

Jon was sobbing heavily as tears flowed onto Sam's disembodied head that was clutched to his chest.

He looked at Sam's face and killed the boy in his heart by dropping it into the solution while saying, "For the Watch."

After the last addition, the potion was practically glowing. Jon sagged to the ground, motionless as the fire slowly dwindled before him. He could not say how much time had passed before he was finally able to move again.

Jon grabbed the lid from the cart that had been used to bring it to the library next to the fireplace and secured it to the now cooled, but still glowing, mixture. With a superhuman effort, Jon lifted the potion to the cart and began pulling it out of the library and through Castle Black. Though Jon was covered in gore, no one stopped him. He pulled the Wildfire to the crankshaft that would take him to the top of the Wall.

Unlike the last time he made the journey to the top of the Wall, Jon felt that the journey passed in a blur. With what had happened and what he had been forced to do to his one true friend, Jon was completely numb to everything else in the world.

The cold touched his skin but he did not feel it. The only thing that existed within him was his singular purpose; the reason that Sam had died.

Jon looked out from his position on the top of the Wall and smiled at what he saw. The army of Others was once again marching on the Wall to resume their attack. This sight, which should have caused Jon to tremble in fear, caused him to smile instead.

Closer and closer marched the army of the dead. Jon heard the three horn blows to signal the return of the Others. The Others climbed upon the mound of ice and stone that had been dropped earlier. Jon pushed the cart over the edge and watched it fall. It seemed to take an eternity for the cauldron to hit the ground. When it did there was a resounding explosion and a flash of light that caused Jon to shield his eyes with his arm.

When Jon removed his arm, he was greeted by a larger than life image of Sam made of fire that blazed the same color as the potion brandishing a large sword made up of the same fiery substance.

The Wildfire Sam struck out against the Others causing bits of green flame to break off from his sword. Those bits rapidly consumed the dead flesh of the Others and grew in size until they too took on the likeness of Sam and wielding similar swords of fire. The Wildfire Sams were easily cutting through their undead opponents. After a few minutes, hundreds of Sams were making their way through the army of the dead. Wave after wave of Others fell to the army of Sams until eventually there were no more Others attacking the Wall.

At that point, the original Wildfire Sam turned to face Jon before raising his sword in salute. The gesture was quick and the Wildfire Sam took off northward intent to seek out the Others and put an end to their menace for good. The others quickly followed causing the eerie green light to fade from the base of the Wall to be replaced by an unnatural darkness.

Jon was sure that they would accomplish their mission to eradicate the Others but the thought brought him little solace. He friend had just saved them all and granted a victory that would echo through the centuries but it all felt hollow since he would not be there to enjoy his victory. Samwell Tarly may not have been the greatest swordsman that Westeros had ever seen but he had done more with his particular talents than most could ever dream of in their lifetimes.

He may have come to the Wall as the greenest of boys but, in his death, he had become the greatest of heroes.

* * *

 ** _S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Level up! Through repeated mental exercises, you have increased your Intelligence._**

 ** _Speech +1000 experience!  
Archery +1000 experience!  
One-handed +1000 experience!  
Sneak +1000 experience!  
Skill Level Up: Alchemy +1000 experience!_**

"Woah," a heavy sigh escaped Jon's lips. "That's definitely not what I was expecting."

"Indeed the _Song of the Alchemists_ is worthy to be sung for all of time," the maester acknowledged while moving to take the book from Jon and put it back on his shelf. "What did you learn from the tale, Jon?"

"Potions really can be more than just a mix of ingredients. Even though the potion required death, it seems like it was the intent behind making the potion is what caused it to work so well," Jon puzzled thinking back on _Song of the Alchemists_. "I wonder if the tears that found their way into the potion, by accident, were part of the reason that it worked so well?"

"Indeed that could be the case," Maester Luwin agreed. "I like to think that they were the human element of the tale. The potion was so much more to the protagonist than simply a combination of ingredients. His very best friend gave his life and soul in order to give our main character a chance to survive. I like to think that his intentions and the fury that he felt against the creatures that took his friend from him are the reason that he was so successful in finishing the potion."

"What of the Others?" Jon asked while staring into the fire. "I never expected them to make an appearance in such a notable book. I always thought that they had been made up to scare younglings into following the rules set by their parents. This story makes it seem like they could actually be real."

"Don't let your preconceived notions get in the way of your venture for knowledge," the maester cautioned. "As you learn more you may find yourself taking new stands on matters that you firmly believed at an earlier time."

"How can a man live if everything that he knows is constantly changing?" Jon asked, not truly expecting an answer. "Wouldn't it be easier if everything stayed the same?"

"Of course it would be easier, Jon. However, life is not easy and you will find that change is one of the only things that is constant for all things living. A life without change would be the life on one of the Others," The maester declared while moving to present _De Rerum Dirennis_ and _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros_ to Jon. "Now, which of these would you like to read next? I hope that I am not being too presumptuous with your time but I assumed that since you got here so early that you would be interested in continuing to develop your knowledge today?"

"If it would not be too much of a bother," Jon took _De Rerum Dirennis_ from the Maester. "Only one left after this before we can discuss those other six books that you agreed to let me read after finishing the potions set."

"No bother, Jon Snow," the maester waved off the concern. "Finish these two and we can certainly delve into the subjects of the other books."

"That sounds good to me," Jon happily agreed. "Now, let's see what _De Rerum Dirennis_ is all about."

A strange thing happened when Jon opened the book.

 ** _Increased Intelligence comes with many benefits. You can now Absorb the content of books as an alternative to Experiencing them. Be warned that though Absorbing the content of a book will give you access to the book's main content, it will not be as deep of an understanding of the unwritten messages in the text as can be gained by Experiencing the book. Additionally, if you choose to Absorb the content of a book, it will feel as if no time passes to you. However, to those around you the amount of time that passes will be exactly equal to the amount of time that it would normally cost you to read the book._**

 ** _Absorb the content of this book or Experience the content of the book?_**

 _Maester Luwin said that I may struggle getting through this book since it is more of a reference book than a story. I'll give Absorbing the contents a try._

As soon as Jon had thought that he wanted to absorb the content of the book, he felt it grow warm in his hand. A glowing, golden script was traveling up Jon's arm surely fading as it got further from the source.

 ** _De Rerum Dirennis Absorption successful!_**

 ** _Alchemy + 1000_**

 ** _Alchemy Skill Unlocked: Potioneer's Instinct: Tasting ingredients will unlock their properties for use in poison and potion making._**

 _Wow, that was something else. I didn't get as much experience but I did get a new Alchemy skill which is sure to come in handy in the future. I wonder how much time has passed during the Absorption._

 _"_ Maester Luwin, is there enough time for me to read the _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros,_ today?"

"Finished have you, Jon" the maester asked with a smile. "You were so intent on your studies over the last three hours; I would have thought you to be asleep but for the turning of pages."

"Definitely not asleep," Jon assured. "You were right that _De Rerum Dirennis_ did not quite strike me the way the other books did."

"That is not terribly surprising, I'm afraid. _De Rerum Dirennis_ is more of a reference book than a testimony of human character," Maester Luwin explained. " _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros_ is much the same in that regard. It is getting late in the afternoon but, if you do not mind being a bit late for supper, I have no qualms with you staying to read the last of my most prized books on the subject of Alchemy."

Jon moved to meet the maester at the book shelf and took the _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros_ from the maester's offering hand before returning to his chosen reading spot.

 _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros_

 ** _Absorb the content of this book or Experience the content of the book?_**

Jon chose to Absorb the content of the book and experienced the same phenomenon as before with the glowing script seeming to enter into his body.

 ** _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros Absorption successful!_**

 ** _Skill Level Up: Alchemy + 1000_**

He let out a small groan which passed without comment from the Maester. Jon looked around and found the chamber to be empty. He stood from his chair and set the _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros_ on the desk before exiting the chamber and closing the door.

Jon hurriedly made his way down to the dining hall to take his supper. Though he was a bit late, he was able to take his place at the lower table without much fanfare. Had he been sitting with the Starks at the upper table, it is likely that he would have been chastised for arriving late. As it was, he took his meal of rabbit and potato stew quietly before leaving to make his way to his chambers for the night.

In his contemplation of the events of the day, Jon had not noticed the comings and goings of the other people at dinner. Due to this, he was very surprised to find Lord Eddard Stark standing at the door to his chambers.

"You have outdone yourself over the last two days, Jon," the Lord of Winterfell stated with pride. "Let us talk in your chambers."

"As you command, Lord Stark," Jon opened the door and beckoned for his father to enter. "It is a pleasurable surprise to have a chance to speak with you."

"Aye, it is overdue. I'm sure you have questions for me and equally sure that I do not have all of the answers that you seek."

"Where did you get that ring?"

"That is not the first question that I expected you to ask. That ring came into my possession shortly after the war that put Robert Baratheon on the Iron Throne. If the man who gave it to me is to be believed, it was once another color and turned black due to an enchantment that would act as a boon to the one worthy of wearing it. I admit that, in my younger days, I hoped to be the one worthy of the ring but, as the years passed, eventually I realized that it was not to be. I was unable to give you my name and hope that the small token makes me even just slightly more worthy of your forgiveness."

Jon was taken aback that the Lord of Winterfell felt that he needed to apologize to Jon of all people. "There is nothing to forgive, my lord."

"Father," Ned reminded. "We're alone, call me father."

"Yes, father. There is nothing to forgive. You have given me a home and a place in your castle when you did not have to do either of those things. You bear the ill will of your Lady wife every day on my behalf. Truly, not carrying your last name is far from the worst thing that could have happened to me."

 ** _Speech +100_**

"You deserve a better name than Snow but I cannot give that to you. If that ring does not find you worthy then keep it and give it to your own son so that I may have contributed in a small way to the blood of my blood."

"As you say, father."

"That matter aside, I had another reason for seeking you out tonight. There has been a raven from King's Landing. The Hand of the King has died. The King rides North and will arrive at Winterfell within a four moon's turns. I have commissioned the players to stay through his visit and, when he gets here, I must insist that you become but a shadow. Nothing good can come from the King paying too much attention to you."

Jon averted his gaze thinking of how his very existence brought shame upon the honorable Lord Stark. "I do not wish to dishonor you, father. I will make myself scarce when the King arrives."

"I'm proud of you, Jon," the Lord of Winterfell admitted while ruffling his hair. "You have a bright future ahead of you and I don't want you to get caught up in the game that they are so fond of playing in the South."

"I don't intend to get caught up in any games," Jon stated reassuringly. "Right now my focus is on training to reach my potential."

"That is a noble path to follow. I hope to hear many more tales of your prowess from Maester Luwin. You have impressed him quite a bit for him to give you one of the Winterfell Captain's Jerkins after only two days of significant training under him. Be sure that when you wear it that you bring honor to House Stark. I don't want to imagine what my Lady wife would say if you were dressed in the garb of House Stark and causing any harm to the image of the House."

"I promise that, when I choose to wear that jerkin that I will be able to bring honor to House Stark."

"See that you do. That is all for now. Remember my words when the King arrives. Do not bring any more attention to yourself than necessary. Sleep well, my son."

"Thank you, father. It will be as you say."

The Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North nodded grimly before turning on his heel and leaving Jon alone in his chambers. Jon disrobed and got into bed. Sleep came very quickly that night.

* * *

 **AN2: What did you think? Jon finally gets his Intelligence moving and we get a means for him to obtain information relatively quickly. We have a sub-plot which really took on an identity of its own, some answers from Ned and a bit of movement in the greater scheme of things (outside of Jon grinding). I think the grinding makes sense considering that there have only been two days since Jon got the Stargaryan Ring in the first place. Any guesses about the ring's original color? Anyway, the updated stats are posted on my profile and I have updated the way that I will indicate experience gain to hopefully make it more intuitive without distracting from the narrative. Please review and let me know what you think of the chapter! :-)**


	8. SR008

**AN: Hello all, apologies for the delay! I lost my phone which had the outline for this story and didn't really feel up to continuing the story for a while because of that set back. I intended for this chapter to include a more academic development for Jon but I wanted to give you guys something new since it has been a while. I hope to get the next chapter up by the end of the week. Thank you for all of the reviews and for all of the follows and favorites! You guys really helped get me back to writing with your kind words. :-) Also, special thanks to PwnerofHeroes who has agreed to Beta for me and has already been a tremendous help by going back and correcting some of the errors in Chapters 1-5. Updated end of chapter stats are available on my profile if you want to check them out. Enjoy!**

* * *

As he had since obtaining the Stargaryan Ring, Jon woke up the next morning feeling much more spry than he had any right to feel after a day filled with intense labor. Anticipating another day of grinding out experience before the King and his company arrived at Winterfell; Jon got dressed, had his breakfast and proceeded to the training grounds to meet with Ser Rodrik and the recruits.

On this particular day, none of the other recruits were waiting at the training grounds when Jon finished his breaking his fast. Jon decided to do some light stretching while thinking about the words that he had shared with Lord Stark the previous night.

 _So the stone was originally a different color and turned black by and enchantment? How could that be? From what Old Nan had told us, magic has been gone from the world since the last dragon passed. Like everyone else, he was unable to see the ring, so he didn't realize that I was chosen to be its wielder._

 _Obviously, the 'boon' that he referred to was how it helps focus any training efforts. I refuse to bring dishonor to Lord Stark or to waste the gift that has been granted to me. If my lord father is worried about my safety with the coming of King Robert then I will do all I can to make sure that I can fend for myself when he arrives at Winterfell._

Jon was windmilling his arms when Ser Rodrik walked out with Robb and the other recruits following closely behind.

"Couldn't wait to get out here, could you Jon?" Robb asked with a smile on his face. "Mayhaps we will have a chance to spar again today."

"Well met, Jon," Ser Rodrik beamed. "If half this lot was as dedicated as you then they would have already joined the rest of Winterfell's guard."

The recruits fell into line with Jon to receive their training instructions from Ser Rodrik. "Right, then. You lot have done pretty well with the physical drills over the last two days. Today is going to be something a little bit different. Today, half of you will be assisting Mikken, the castle blacksmith. The other half will be assisting Drayson with leatherworking."

"Now, don't think that going to leatherworking means that you will have an easy morning. Jon, since your group won the Broken Tower challenge yesterday, you get to pick whether your group will be smithing or working leather today."

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Forces of the Forge: Obtain functional knowledge of the activities that allow a blacksmith to work his craft.  
Reward for completion: 2000 Experience and increased Reputation with Aiden, Darryl, Trevin, Toddrick and Mikken.  
Penalty for failure: Decreased Reputation with Aiden, Darryl, Trevin, Toddrick and Mikken._**

 ** _Accept?_**

 _Smithing is one of the skills that the Stargaryan Ring showed that I can level up. Better to get a start on that than to spend the morning doing something that may not help me later on,_ Jon thought. "We'll go with smithing."

"I thought that you might," Ser Rodrik stated with a nod. "You know your way to Mikken's forge? He's expecting the lot of you. Know that you are expected to be to your best behavior as the men you will be working with are every bit as important to Winterfell's defense as the guard itself. They make the weapons and armor that make it possible for the guard to protect Winterfell."

"Yes, ser," the recruits answered as they moved to follow Jon and Robb to their respective destinations.

The journey from the training grounds to Mikken's forge was uneventful. Though there were grumbles from Darryl about how he would have rather have spent the morning training at arms with the Master-at-Arms rather than the castle's blacksmith.

Jon knocked on the door and pushed it open at the instruction of the man inside. Mikken was a bald man with a grey beard and a strong pair of shoulders that befit his role as the blacksmith. He moved with a certainty of purpose that spoke volumes of his ability at the forge.

"You lot must be the new recruits that Ser Rodrik told me would be helping me at the forge today. For anyone who doesn't know me or wasn't able to put it together, m'names Mikken," the large man introduced himself. The boys quickly introduced themselves before Mikken continued, "Before we get started, I'll give you a rundown of the forging process."

"We forge steel for weapons and armor by heating out metals to a high temperature then pounding it into form using one of the forge hammers. With this process, we can make our armors and weapons far more effective than they would be if we simply bent the metal into shape or poured it into a mold and let it set. Our steel is made by melting iron with a small bit of graphite."

"That's easy enough," Darryl dismissed. "Give me a week and I could take your job, if I wanted it, old man."

"We'll just see about that," Mikken chuckled. "For the 'Old man' comment, you can work the bellows to keep the forge hot. Let's see how long that attitude keeps up when you are next to a temperature that burns hotter than anything you've felt in your short summer life."

"We will, won't we," Darryl countered while moving to grasp the handles of the large bag-like instrument that forced air into the forge and forcing the handles together experimentally. "That wasn't so hard."

"Tell me how you feel about the bellows in an hour or so, if you last that long," Mikken instructed. "I feel it likely that you will change your tune."

"What about the rest of us?" Toddrick asked while watching Darryl working the bellows. "It seems that there won't be much for us to do."

At that, Mikken let out a deep, belly laugh. "'Not much to do,' you say. Well never you worry, boy. Two of you will be loading the forge with iron and granite while the other two of you will be learning to use the forge hammer."

Jon and Trevin took positions near two anvils, leaving Aiden and Toddrick to load the forge.

"Right, that's decided. You two," he motioned to Aiden and Toddrick. "It is 98 parts iron to every 2 parts of granite. I'll show you how much of each I expect to be added each time then I expect you to stick to it. We are in the North. We don't have materials to waste."

Mikken moved to Jon and Trevin. "You two will be pounding out the sword molds that I have cast. Each blade will require 100 strikes evenly across its surface on each side to reach the point where it can be sharpened. If the hits are not even then the blade will be wider at some points than others which will cause the blade to be unbalanced. An unbalanced blade is a danger to the man wielding it in combat as well as every man who stands with him."

"We'll do as you instructed," Trevin answered while picking up one of the forge hammers. "We aren't exactly earning chains at the Citidel."

"Right you are, lad," Mikken agreed jovially while grabbing two blades from a rack near the forge and laying them on the anvils in front of Trevin and Jon. "It's none of that fancy book learning that the maesters are so fond of, here at the forge. Just good old fashion blood, sweat and tears."

"Hopefully not as much blood and tears," Jon mumbled while lifting his forge hammer and bringing it down on the blade that had been laid before him close to where he imagined the handle would eventually be set. "There will be plenty of sweat though."

"It's what separates the lads from the ladies, Jon Snow," Mikken agreed with a nod. "See to it you do that blade justice."

Jon nodded and aimed the next strike of his forge hammer just a bit further away from where he had landed the first blow. The rest of the group took their cue from Jon and got to work. Soon the forge was filled with the ringing sound of hammers pounding on unfinished swords, the billowing of the bellows, the tumbling sound of ore being loaded into the forge and the heavy breathing of those that were hard at work.

Jon was very happy to find that, since smithing was not a combat situation, his SP regenerated at the boosted rate provided by his breakfast. Still the process was far from easy for Jon. He found himself out of breath regularly as, even with the boosted SP regeneration, he was forced to take several breaks in the process of hammering out three swords.

"Well done, all of you," Mikken congratulated. "Now it's time for you to rotate. Hammers move to load, loaders, one of you will take the bellows and the other will take up a hammer, bellows to hammer. Move."

The boys moved to follow Mikken's instruction. Toddrick moved to the bellows, Aiden and Darryl moved to the anvils and picked up the hammers that Jon and Trevin had been using, Jon and Trevin moved into position to be able to load the iron and granite into the forge. It was Darryl who started off the next round of activity.

The trips seemed to blur together as Jon was now closer to the actual forge than he was when he was working at the anvil. He stopped counting trips early on and directed his focus to how Mikken would remove crucibles of red-hot, melted metal from the forge and pour it into casts that he had set up near the forge.

The glowing liquid flowed into the casts and took on the shapes that they would hold until they were either broken or melted down again in the future. Jon couldn't help but be transfixed by the process and was slightly taken aback when Mikken called for the boys to switch again.

Wanting to make sure that he got the most experience out of his time at the forge, Jon took his place at the bellows. This allowed Trevin another chance at the anvil with Toddrick while Darryl and Aiden took their turn loading the forge.

Jon quickly regretted his decision as the heat from the forge was unlike anything that he had ever experienced. While he was pleased that his skin was not blistering the way that Darryl's and Toddrick's had, it was a far from pleasant experience to be next to such a scorching heat. Jon dutifully worked the bellows and kept the forge going strong.

Like with the loading process, Jon eventually lost himself to the repetitiveness of the task. There was something about the manual labor that he found deeply soothing and he appreciated the strain on his muscles while secretly reveling in the fact that he knew he would wake up without feeling the soreness that the other boys would have to deal with in the next morning.

"Alright, you lot. That's enough for today," Mikken announced while moving to stand amongst them. "You did yourselves proud today. I expect you to beat this effort the next time that you come to help with the forge. Be sure to drink plenty of water over the rest of the day and get a good night's sleep. The forge takes much more out of you than most expect and it is very easy to find yourself bedridden the day after if you don't take the proper steps to recover."

 ** _Quest Completed_**

 ** _Forces of the Forge: Obtain functional knowledge of the activities that allow a blacksmith to work his craft.  
Reward for completion: 2,000 Experience and increased Reputation with Aiden, Darryl, Trevin, Toddrick and Mikken._**

 ** _Skill Level Up: Smithing +2,000 Experience  
Skill unlocked! Apprentice Smithing: Craft beginner weapons and armor that are 10% more effective than standard weapons and armor._**

Jon and the others nodded their agreement as they filed out of the forge. They trooped to the guards' mess hall to have their lunch after their strenuous morning with Mikken. The lunch was uneventful and Jon parted way from the recruits, intent on finding Ygritte.

 _I missed her yesterday but she was the one to suggest seeking her out to practice archery,_ " Jon thought as he equipped the Hawksflight Bow from his Inventory and slung it across his back while making his way to the performer's camp. He wandered for a while and consulted with several of the other performers before he was forced to admit that Ygritte was not in the camp. _Well, I've come this far. I may as well still get some practice with my new bow. I'll head into the Wolfswood and get some practice there._

Jon followed the same path into the Wolfswood that he had taken when he followed Ygritte into the Wolfswood and was greeted with the same message.

 ** _Warning: You are about to enter the spawn zone, Wolfswood. In the Wolfswood, you will encounter various creatures capable of causing physical damage. The unwary traveler will find himself falling prey to the numerous predators large and small that claim the Wolfswood as their home. It is recommended that characters below level 10 travel in parties to better combat the various enemies that will be encountered._**

Jon pulled the Hawksflight Bow from its place on his back and nocked an arrow to be ready if any creatures spawned.

He was not disappointed. Jon had taken less than 100 steps before he heard howling and a trio of wolves jumped into his path and began rushing at him. He took aim and let the first arrow fly, confident that it would find its target as he nocked another arrow and let it loose at the same wolf.

The wolf crumbled to the ground in a heap but its companions were unperturbed. They continued their sprint towards Jon who began moving sideways through the trees to give him something of a barrier to prevent the wolves from closing in on him too quickly.

Seven seconds passed, two more arrows were fired and the second wolf fell to the ground.

The last wolf was almost upon Jon as his first arrow found its mark. The wolf lunged at Jon with saliva dripping from its bared fangs. He rolled to the side to avoid its attack and came up with his bow ready to fire and loosed the arrow at the beast. Like his other shots, it found his target and dropped the wolf where it stood.

 ** _Archery +600 Experience_**

Jon was able to retrieve five of the six arrows that he had shot. The momentum of the first wolf caused it to roll onto one of the arrows and break it. _That seems like a small price to pay considering I was able to get three wolf pelts and thiry-six wolf teeth. Now I just need to figure out what I can use the pelts and teeth for and I'll be all set._

Jon resumed his journey to the clearing where he had found Ygritte, that first time in the forest and was surprised that he did not encounter any more creatures that desired to attack him.

When he arrived at the spot that he had first taken down the cavebear, Jon paused to look into the clearing. _I can't see anything that looks dangerous but I still don't know what's in the cave beyond the rock formation that Ygritte had climbed when I had to save her. I'll aim to keep it between me and the cave for as long as possible then climb up to get a better point of view to see if there is anything in the cave that I need to worry about._

Jon nocked an arrow as he moved slowly towards the rock formation. His caution proved to be unfounded. He made it to the rock formation without incident and relaxed the tension from the bow string before putting the arrow back in its quiver and slinging the bow onto his back. The climb to the top of the formation was pretty easy for Jon as he thought about how much harder Robb had it when he climbed the side of the Broken Tower when trying to get the drop on Jon in Ser Rodrik's challenge.

From his new vantage point, Jon was able to make out a large furry shape that seemed to be rising and falling as a deep rumbling sound just made it to Jon's ear. _It seems like another cave bear found the cave that had been left empty for a few days. It looks like I'll be getting my archery practice in after all,_ Jon thought. _This one should be much easier to take down than the last since I should be able to fire at it without worrying about what it will do to anyone if I fail to take it down quick enough._

Jon nocked an arrow, took aim and fired his first shot. The bear woke with a fierce roar, announcing its rage to the world. It lumbered to a standing position and roared again, taking another two shots to its upper body before falling to all fours and lumbering out of the cave with its vision locked on Jon. Jon struck it twice more causing another enraged roar before its mighty form slammed into the rock formation causing Jon to lose his footing and fall flat on his back to the ground, knocking the wind out of him.

He had a few seconds until the bear was upon him. There was not enough time for Jon to nock another arrow so he followed his first instinct and blocked the bear's lunging bite by shoving his bow upwards and bracing it with both hands. The two were in a stalemate, the bear couldn't bite Jon but Jon was steadily losing ground to its immense strength. As the seconds passed, Jon began to doubt his ability to maintain his hold on the bow as well as its continued ability hold up to the bear's mighty jaws.

Just as his arms began to fail him, an arrow struck right between the bear's eyes causing it to let go of the bow and whimper in pain before collapsing onto Jon. Jon struggled for all he was worth and was able to dislodge himself from under the fallen bear.

 ** _Sneak + 300 Experience  
Archery + 300 Experience  
Blocking +300 Experience_**

"This makes us square, Jon Snow," a voice proclaimed. Jon's head snapped around and he saw a mane of red hair blowing in the wind. "If you know what you're doing with a bow, it should only take one shot to take something down."

Jon was incredulous but found himself responding in the same confident tone that Ygritte seemed to favor. "It couldn't have had anything to do with how I had already weakened it?"

"Course not. When you shoot something in the head it goes down and it stays down."

"Alright, alright."

"If you're done letting your bow be used as a chew toy, let's see if we can teach you how to use it the way it was meant to be used."

"Er, Camen gave it to me because I saved you from a bear. It was originally supposed to go to you. Since you saved me, shouldn't it go to you after all?"

"You know nothing, Jon Snow. If it was given to you, the bow is yours. No matter what may have happened just now."

"If you say so…"

"I do say so. Let's go into the cave and check it out."

Jon picked himself off the ground and quickly transferred the bear claws and bearskin to his inventory. _It's strange that I get a bearskin in my inventory but the bear does not look like it has been skinned. Oh well, no time to dwell on that now._

"Thank you, Ygritte."

"Just do what you can to avoid finding yourself in that position in the future. I may not be feeling so generous."

"I'll keep that in mind," Jon agreed while making his way toward the cave. "I doubt there will be much in the cave now that the bear was drawn out."

"We'll know soon enough," Ygritte countered while walking beside Jon. "I've heard of caves that go much deeper than you could imagine. Caves that are said to connect to each other far, far under the ground."

"I've never heard of such a thing," Jon mused. "Are you sure that you aren't making that up?"

"You know nothing, Jon Snow. Living in your fancy castle, you wouldn't have heard about those caves."

"Maybe you are right," Jon admitted reluctantly. "Let's see if that cave is one of those deep caves that you were talking about."

"If it is one of the deep caves, it will be dark. We should make a torch before going in," Ygritte reasoned while moving away from Jon with her gave firmly upon the ground. After a few minutes, she found a fairly think tree branch that would serve the purpose well. "This will do."

"I hope you have a flint on you. Otherwise, that won't do us a lot of good," Jon said in an even tone. "I didn't think to grab one."

"Course you didn't," Ygritte admonished while producing her flint and striking it against a stone that she picked up off the ground. "You know nothing, Jon Snow."

Jon frowned but did not reply as he followed Ygritte into the cave. The two entered the cave in companionable silence and it quickly became evident that, without the torch, they would not have been able to explore the full expanse of the cave. It didn't take long for Jon and Ygritte to leave the section close to the entrance where the bears apparently took up residence behind them.

The cave twisted and turned without any sort of rhyme or reason. After a few minutes of following the winding path of the cave, Jon and Ygritte found themselves entering a large chamber with a vaulted ceiling. The chamber was much more spacious than the path that they had followed to arrive there and was a welcome relief to the pair of explorers.

There was a frantic scratching sound and four large rat-like creatures entered the chamber opposite Jon and Ygritte.

"Alright, Jon. Time to show your worth," Ygritte stated calmly, holding the torch steady and not reaching for her bow. "Anyone with a bow, an arrow and a pair of eyes can shoot. If you want to take down your opponent, and make sure that they stay down, you need to aim for the head. Take your breath, watch the target move and shoot where its head is going to be."

"Right," Jon agreed while nocking an arrow and watching the scurrying forms at the other side of the room. _Whatever those are, they seem to rock from side to side as they move. I can anticipate where its head is going to be and shoot as Ygritte said. Left, right, left, right, now!_

Jon loosed the arrow, and struck true to drop the large rat-like creature. Its brethren responded to the aggression and charged. Aiming his next shot in the same way, Jon dropped the second of the four beasts. With the other two creatures closing in on Jon and Ygritte, Jon didn't have time to congratulate himself on the successful shots before he nocked the next arrow and successfully dropped the third beast as his shot was true.

The last of the creatures was upon them and lunged at Ygritte causing her to jump back to avoid the large teeth.

"One left, Jon Snow. Get on with it," Ygritte said with a huff. "If you let this mangy skeever bite me, you will regret it Jon Snow."

 _Sheesh, it's not as if she doesn't have a bow. Still, I wouldn't want anyone to get bit by a creature like that,_ Jon thought as he nocked and loosed an arrow at the creature. In his rush to prevent the creature from biting Ygritte, he was not able to get a headshot. However, the shot was true and lodged in the flank of the skeever. Quickly nocking another arrow, Jon loosed his shot and it dropped to the ground.

 ** _Skill Level Up: Archery + 600 Experience_**

"Forget how to shoot? The head is the part with the mouth," Ygritte teased. "It's usually pretty easy to figure out where to shoot."

"I took it down," Jon countered. "I wasn't going to let it bite you."

"Aye, you took it down," Ygritte agreed. "Lucky for me it wasn't a bigger creature that would have been able to take me down like that bear took you down earlier."

"How was I supposed to know the bear would ram the rock formation hard enough to make me lose my balance," Jon tried to defend himself. "Either way, it didn't bite you. You could say thank you."

"Oh thank you, Jon Snow," the words left Ygritte's smirking mouth. "Your green shooting almost let a skeever take a chunk out of me. How could I ever repay you?"

Jon just stared at her for a moment before walking to the fallen skeevers to retrieve his arrows and check for loot. Each of the skeevers yielded a skeever tail and the first skeever that Jon shot also provided him with a silver ring.

 _I expected to get something related to the creatures,_ Jon thought as he examined the ring. _I did not expect to get something like this for taking this thing down._

"What have you there, Jon Snow," Ygritte asked while moving to his side. "Don't think that by giving me a shiny ring is going to be enough for you to steal me."

"What? Um no," Jon remarked confused. "I found this near the first of those creatures that I took down."

"Well give it to one of your castle ladies," Ygritte instructed. "I have no need for something like that."

"Um, right," Jon seemed to pocket the ring but actually dropped it into his inventory. "Do you want to continue? It's pretty likely that we'll come across more of those creatures if we keep going."

"Scared, Snow? Don't you worry your pretty hair, I'll protect you," Ygritte promised. "We've already come this far. We might as well keep going."

"Right, let's go," Jon let Ygritte take the lead since she was carrying the torch which was their only source of light. "We'll have to turn around when the torch is halfway burnt. Otherwise we'll be walking blind."

"Don't want to find yourself in a dark cave with me, Jon Snow? I ought to take offense," Ygritte quipped as she took the first step into the passage that the skeevers had used to enter the chamber. "They say that there are things in the deepest levels of the cave that would bite at you much harder than I would."

"Why would you bite me," Jon asked with genuine confusion. "You are much more wild than most of the girls that come to Winterfell but even you don't seem that wild."

Ygritte turned her head to Jon and the light of the torch allowed him to see the roll of her eyes. "You know nothing, Jon Snow."

The two fell into an easy silence as they followed the passage. Deeper and deeper the two journeyed into the cave until they found themselves in another large chamber with a large rectangular structure in the center.

"What's that? It looks to be manmade," Jon commented while moving ahead of Ygritte and closer to the structure. "Why would something like that be in a cave like this?"

As if in answer, there was a rumbling sound and the top of the structure swung to the side away from Jon. A skeletal hand grasped the side of what must have been some sort of coffin. The hand pulled up a skeleton wearing an ancient leather armor which sat up and heaved itself out of the coffin while drawing a wicked looking sword.

Jon didn't try to reason with the skeleton. He nocked an arrow and let it fly on instinct. The arrow flew with intent and lodged in the skeleton's armor where its heart would have been located, not seeming to cause any damage whatsoever.

The skeletal warrior continued its slow advance towards Jon with heavy, labored steps while raising its sword menacingly.

"Damn," Jon cursed while nocking another arrow. "Arrows don't seem to affect it."

"The head," Ygritte shouted while backing into the passageway that had brought them to the skeleton's chamber. "Shoot it in the head!"

Jon heard her cry and adjusted his aim accordingly. His arrow flew and lodged itself into the skeletal warrior's skull, causing it to stumble. He quickly nocked another arrow and fired another shot at the skeleton's head. Like the shot before, when the arrow lodged itself into the skull the skeleton stumbled again and dropped to one knee.

"Finish it," Ygritte shouted with a hint of fear in her voice. "Don't let it stand up again!"

It turned out that her words were unnecessary. Jon had already taken aim with the next arrow and let it fly. When the arrow imbedded in the skeleton's head, it collapsed to the ground and didn't move. Jon readied another arrow to be ready if the skeleton managed to pick itself up off the ground.

 ** _Archery +900 Experience_**

When he was able to check through its loot, Jon knew that it was truly down and relaxed slightly. He was able to retrieve two of the four arrows that he had shot at the skeleton but the other two were stuck firmly in the skeleton. He then picked up a small coin purse and the sword that the skeleton had not had a chance to use and examined it thoroughly.

"This looks to be a sword forged by the First Men. It hasn't been taken care of but I guess that isn't a surprise," Jon observed while swinging the sword experimentally. "We should probably turn back."

"'We should probably turn back,'" Ygritte mocked. "What gave it away, Jon Snow? Was it the skeleton that was somehow moving? I had heard about things like this happening but never thought that I would see it with mine own eyes."

"It could be dangerous if there are more of these waiting deeper down," Jon agreed while walking back to Ygritte. "Let's go."

The two moved back through the cave much faster than they had while exploring initially. Both were so distracted by the skeleton coming to life that they didn't speak again until they reached the mouth of the cave.

"What say you, that we keep what happened in the cave between us?" Ygritte looked uncharacteristically nervous. "I don't know about you castle-dwellers but I know the Free Folk won't take it well that the dead are coming to life in the caves near Winterfell."

"Right, I'll keep it to myself," Jon agreed while shaking his head and looking at the cave. "I don't want to think what Lady Stark would say if she heard that Ned's bastard was telling such tales."

"Why stay here if they treat you like that? Even you should know better than that," Ygritte sighed. "At least you figured out how to use that bow."

 ** _Quest Completed:  
Free Folk Archery : Learn how to shoot arrows like the best of the Free Folk  
Reward for completion: 1500 Experience, increased Reputation with Ygritte. Skill Unlocked: Tracking Shot: Anticipate the way your opponent will move and adjust your aim accordingly. Shots to the head do three times more damage than regular shots. Chance for instant kill based on level of opponent relative to level of Archery skill._**

"All I've ever known is Winterfell, Ygritte," Jon countered. "Even if I wanted to go, where would I go?"

"There is always room with the Free Folk," Ygritte offered. "Plus our leader, Man-Camen, has taken an interest in you already. You would be welcome to come with us."

Jon's face turned grim as he considered. "My place is here, Ygritte."

Ygritte's expression turned stony at the proclamation and she responded in an equally grim tone, "You know nothing, Jon Snow."

Jon was not given the opportunity to respond as the girl who was kissed by fire stormed away.

* * *

 **AN2: I hope you folks got a kick out of the forge scene. I thought it was kind of different and worked well to diverge from the pattern that has been established in the previous chapters. I was going to push for a longer chapter but the scene with Ygritte seemed like a logical place to close the chapter. Please review! :-)**


	9. SR009

After the unexpected encounter in the cave with Ygritte, Jon made his way to Maester Luwin's chamber. As usual, the other people in Winterfell were too busy going about their own business to bother with Jon as he walked through the castle with a distracted look on his face.

 _Ygritte would have me leave Winterfell with her. She even told me that their leader had already taken an interest in me but she slipped when she almost named him Mance instead of Camen. If I didn't already know Mance's name then I probably wouldn't have caught it but she almost used his real name rather than the name that he has been going by with the performers._ Jon thought as he started to climb the stairs that would take him to the maester's chambers. _I should really talk to Mance soon to see if I can find out why he is going by a different name. He hasn't said or done anything to make me wary of him and he even gave me the Hawksflight Bow as a token of thanks for saving Ygritte. If he was up to no good then why would he have given me the bow?_

Jon's musings were cut short as he reached the door to Maester Luwin's chambers.

"Welcome, Jon," the Maester greeted as he responded to Jon's knock and opened the door. "Have you come to continue your pursuit of knowledge?"

"Good afternoon, Maester," Jon replied. "The last time I was here, I finished the last of your books on alchemy. I hope to start the other books that you had for me."

"Of course," the Maester nodded. "There are many books to choose from my collection that could teach you much but I know exactly which books you are referring to at the present time."

"This one here," the Maester walked to his bookshelf and tapped the spine of one of the books in his collection. " _Proper Lock Design_ was written by an unknown author that I suspect heralds from across the Narrow Sea. It tells the tale of Yunkai who boasts that the vault that is said to be so well designed that it cannot be cracked. He taunts the people who have elevated him to his position of power with this fact by offering a king's ransom from all of the riches that lie within to the man that is able to gain entry."

"That sounds like quite the tale," Jon acknowledged. "Maybe even more interesting than _A Game at Dinner_ or _Mannimarco: King of Worms._ "

"Indeed, there are many lessons to be learned from that tale should you read between the lines. However, like every book, what you take away from the tale is entirely dependent on you."

 _That's true enough_ , Jon thought to himself. _I could absorb the book and come away with the most basic of lessons or I could experience the book for the deeper understanding that the Maester keeps mentioning._

"What lessons do you expect me to learn from the book?" Jon asked while moving to stand near the Maester and extending his hand to take the book. "Between what you told me and the name of the book, I'd expect to read plenty about locks."

"What you take away from a book such as this is entirely up to you," Maester Luwin said with a chuckle as he placed the book in Jon's outstretched hand. "There is indeed much to be learned about locks contained within. However, it would not be doing the unknown author justice to say that there is nothing else to be learned from the tale."

"What else could there be?" Jon asked, pushing for more information. "An entire book about looks seems to be a little much."

"You will have to discover that answer for yourself, Jon," the maester answered with a chuckle as he moved away from Jon, down the shelf and tapped another book on the spine. " _Legend of Krately House_ is a tale much closer to home, based in Westeros rather than Essos. It is the tale of how the actions of Lord Harren the Black ultimately led to the destruction of his masterpiece and the burning of Harrenhall during the War of Conquest. It was said to be written by a maester of old under the pseudonym Baloth-Kul. Truly the tale is as much a warning as it is a history of the happenings of the age. For Harren the Black was able to achieve his life's ambitions but, in doing so, he turned himself into someone that he would not have recognized."

"It wasn't even worth it in the end though?" Jon queried. "Harrenhall was burnt by dragons. No matter how great the castle was it couldn't stop the dragons or their fire."

"That is indeed one of the lessons to take away from the tale. No matter how much thought and planning you put into an endeavor, you simply cannot account for every possible outcome. There are many other lessons to be learned from this particular text but I expect that you will appreciate them more if you have the opportunity to discover them for yourself," the maester once again moved down the shelf and tapped another book on its spine. " _The Buying Game_ is the last one that I would feel comfortable with you reading at this time. _Reality & Other Falsehoods_, _Before the Ages of Man_ and _Withershins_ are subjects for the future."

"You don't wish to talk of them now?" Jon asked with no small amount of confusion. "You told me that once I finished your alchemy collection I could read the others."

"Indeed I did and indeed you will. However, you are still only beginning your scholastic journey. Those books contain topics for a much later time. If you want to learn their secrets then I would have something of you."

"Anything," Jon agreed with a sigh of relief. "What would you have me do?"

"Ah, the enthusiasm of youth," Maester Luwin smiled in appreciation. "Before I will give my consent for you to read those three tomes, I would have you finish _Proper Lock Design_ , _Legend of Krately House_ and _The Buying Game_ in addition to at least fifty other books from my collection."

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Learning with Luwin: Either absorb or experience Proper Lock Design, Legend of Krately House and The Buying Game in addition to at least fifty other books from the maester's collection.  
Reward for completion: ? unlocked, 30,000 Experience and increased Reputation with Maester Luwin.  
Penalty for failure: ? permanently locked and decreased Reputation with Maester Luwin._**

 ** _Accept?_**

"I accept," Jon readily agreed. _I can't be sure what would be permanently locked but given that this quest gives me the option to either absorb or experience, it shouldn't be too terrible._ "I trust that you have good reasons for having me focus on other subject material."

"Of course, Jon. While there is much to be learned from these books in and of themselves, I have no doubt that by taking time to expand your general knowledge that you will be able to get more out of these books when you do eventually read them."

"That makes sense. Will you tell me about _The Buying Game_?"

"Certainly! _The Buying Game_ is a wonderful treatise on the practice of bargaining. It not only provides instructions and recommendations on where and how to bargain but it also provides a wonderful insight into the thought processes of merchants."

Jon grimaced slightly as he considered the maester's words. "That does sound like good information to have but it doesn't quite have the same draw as _Proper Lock Design_ or _Legend of Krately House_."

"As I hope you realized with _De Rerum Dirennis_ and _Herbalist's Guide to Westeros_ , not all books were created equal with regards to their entertainment value. However, this does not make those books any less valuable or any less informative with regards to their content."

"Alright," Jon nodded in understanding while moving away from the bookshelves, taking a seat in his regular chair and opening _Proper Lock Design_. "I best get started then."

* * *

 _Proper Lock Design_

"Welcome esteemed guests. It is I, Xaro Xhoan Daxos, wealthiest of the Thirteen of Qarth."

"I have encountered a great many thieves from a great many walks of life who all shared the same purpose. That purpose was a sole interest in locks, how to open them and thereby pilfer the protected contents of the room or chest that the lock was designed and intended to protect. I have taken it upon myself to devise a system of locks that can defeat such villainous intent and protect that which merits protection."

"There can be no doubt that the materials used to create a lock are of utmost importance. Shoddy brass or copper will give way to a well-placed kick, thereby rendering the lock itself useless despite your best intentions. I recommend steel over iron when choosing a material as the properties of steel are much more closely aligned the goal of unyieldingly protecting your valuables. As is the way in our world, more robust materials tend to be prohibitively expensive and necessitate the door being made of similarly expensive metals. I can't begin to express in words the sorrow that I felt when I stumbled across the shattered shell of a wooden chest that had been plundered with its Valaryan steel lock intact and still locked."

"Once the matter of the materials has been settled, one must pay particular attention to the offset of the tumblers. Even a small offset of several degrees to the keyhole will allow a torque style key to work smoothly, while at the same time causing numerous headaches for the thief attempting to insert non-torque style lock picks."

"In similar fashion, the springs of the tumblers should be made by different smiths. Each smith will unknowingly create a spring with different tension than his fellow smiths thus combining to form something truly unique. This variance is of paramount importance and will create a great deal of difficulty for anyone attempting to pick the lock."

"Now, all of you must be wondering why a man such as me would bring such a group into my home for such talk. I assure you, that my motives are justified. In my palace, there exists a vault that has never and most likely will never be defeated."

"You have eaten my food and drank of my wine, now I have a challenge for each of you. It would be my greatest honor and delight for each of you to try your hand at gaining access to that vault. I must know if my suspicions are correct or if my beliefs are misplaced."

"To the man who succeeds in gaining access to the vault, I shall impart wealth enough for him to take a place amongst the Thirteen. Should it be a woman who manages to gain access, then she will have exactly half of everything I own when I take her to be my loving wife."

"What say you to that?"

The room erupted in cheers and the meal was left forgotten by all but one, as they hurried to follow Xaro to the vault that could grant them riches beyond their wildest dreams.

Jon knew hunger. On more than one occasion he had retired for the night with a gnawing hunger in his belly as his only companion. He had done what he needed to as a child to survive and had merited an invitation to Xaro's lavish home for a feast. The riches that had been present at Xaro's table had been more than enough for Jon and he was content to treat himself while the others clambered for an opportunity at the safe.

Now, Jon did not consider himself to be a particularly clever man but even he realized that a single lock would only permit a single man to try his luck at a time. With the number of people that had hurried off after Xaro it would be some time before Jon would have a turn at the man's challenge.

Once he had sated his hunger, Jon took his leave from the table and took the opportunity to explore the palace of one of the Thirteen. He walked the expanse of the palace while the guards and general population attempted to gain access to Xaro's prized vault. Each room seemed to be even more extravagant than the last in terms of décor until Jon found the exception.

He found a room that seemed very drab and out of place amidst all of the luxury. His first instinct was to close the door and continue his unguided tour of the palace. However, his inquisitive nature prompted him to disregard his first instinct and step into the room and close the door behind him. The far wall was made up on eight panels that stretched from floor to ceiling.

Jon went to the far left corner of the room and knocked on the panel. His knock was met with a dull thud, indicating that the panel was solid. He knocked on the second panel then the third panel and was met with the same dull sound. However, the fourth panel was different. To Jon's surprise, the sound of the knock was much lighter.

Jon gave the wall an exploratory push and was disappointed that nothing happened. He tried again in the middle or the panel to no avail. Feeling frustrated, Jon threw his shoulder against the seam that separated the fourth and fifth panels and he was suddenly flung backwards as the two panels opened outward to reveal the door to a safe.

It was not surprising that a man of Xaro's standing would have multiple safes to protect the riches that he was known to have. Jon examined the lock briefly before pulling a lock pick and the extremely thin dagger that he had painstakingly ground down to provide torque to the lock after the pick triggered the tumbler.

He was no expert but Jon had picked his fair share of locks over the course of his life. He inserted the lock pick and meticulously triggered each of the tumblers while slightly rotating the pick clockwise until he felt confident that he could begin applying torque.

As he began to turn the knife, he felt the lock pick begin to shake. He tried to quickly reset the lock to its initial position but was unable to do so before the lock pick snapped.

Jon frowned as he took one of the other two lock picks that he kept hidden on his person and again went about triggering the tumblers, this time pushing deeper and finding another tumbler spaced further back than the rest.

Ginning while realizing why his initial attempt had failed, Jon again tried his luck at turning the knife to unlock the door. There was a brief pause where the lock seemed to catch before the lock was fully unlatched but Jon was able to rotate the lock pick to save the endeavor before completing the knife's turn and unlocking Xaro's hidden vault.

Without the lock holding the door closed, its weight caused it to swing open and reveal a room that was almost completely empty. Save for a podium in its center that was covered in elaborate paintings of dragons that had their wings spread in flight and their maws open as they spewed great gouts of fire.

Unable to stop himself, Jon approached the podium and found that the top was actually a basin of sorts with a singular large black rock. The rock had a surprisingly textured surface that was completely contrary to the smoothness that Jon expected. There were dark blue veins seemed to pulse a very dull light that strengthened marginally at Jon's touch. The rock seemed to warm slightly in his hand and Jon knew that he would never relinquish the treasure to anyone.

Stowing the rock in his satchel, Jon quietly stole from the vault. He closed the door behind him and pushed the panels back into their initial position to conceal the vault from prying eyes. Jon left the room that hid the vault and made his way to the dining chambers where he was able to join in with a group that was leaving after their failed attempt at Xaro's challenge.

Their trip from the palace was uneventful and Jon soon separated from the group and left Qarth, never to be seen again in the city of the Thirteen. While the theft was never made public, Xaro's rage was said to have been titanic in proportion when he realized that his ruse had failed. He had very publicly revealed what many thought to be the location of his greatest treasure.

However, that was all a distraction to ensure that future attempts to pilfer his wealth would be met with failure as would be thieves would waste their time and energy on what appeared to be a lock but was in reality a sealed fixture on a wall made of the finest steel that money could buy. His most valued treasure disappeared on the night that he dared to taunt the citizens of Qarth with the promise of wealth beyond their feeble understanding.

One had succeeded in obtaining such wealth and potentially much more.

Xaro swore vengeance and would see to it if it was the last thing that he ever did until his last day.

* * *

 ** _Skill Level Up: Lock Picking +1,000  
_** ** _Sneak +1,000  
_** ** _Perception +1  
_** ** _Intelligence +1  
_** ** _Unlocked Deeper Understanding: Get the most out of the books that you read. You can now find more insights in the books that you read.  
_** ** _Obtained Mysterious Black Treasure of Qarth_**

 _Wow,_ Jon thought to himself. _That was a book about lock picking? There was so much more than just lock picking! How could I get an item by reading a book?_

"All finished with _Proper Lock Design_ then, Jon?" the Maester asked as he slowly made his way over to Jon to take the book. "Intriguing tale, was it not?"

"There is no doubt about that," Jon readily agreed. "I was not expecting the ending with the way that Xaro was going on about the steps that he had taken to create a lock that could not be picked."

"Aye, so what do you take to be the moral of the story?"

"It seems that if there is a lock that it can be picked no matter what precautions are taken."

"Right you are. Xaro's best protection was the one that he never mentioned. His intent was to protect his treasures by keeping their location a secret while he boasted quite elaborately about their supposed location. All it took was someone who happened to look in the right place and all of his efforts were for naught."

"What was the treasure that Xaro was hiding in the vault?"

"Oh Jon, that is up to your interpretation. Some would say that it was one of the last remaining pieces of Valeryan steel ore. Others would say that it was the egg of a dragon or something equally fanciful. Still others would say it was a metaphor for the blood of the inquisitive soul turning blue as he had finally obtained riches to establish his line as the richest of men for all of their days to come."

"What do you think though?" Jon tried to press. "I see how any of those could be possible but, surely, one is more likely than the others."

"I truly cannot answer that question, Jon. Without seeing and touching the item for myself, all I can do is speculate."

 _Should I show him the Mysterious Black Treasure of Qarth?_ Jon asked himself. _No, I can't. If I did, I would have to explain how I came into possession of such an item._

"I understand, Maester Luwin. Would it be alright if I started _The Buying Game_?"

"Certainly, Jon," the Maester nodded while moving to collect the book ad returning to hand it to Jon. "Now, you shouldn't expect quite the level of intrigue that you found in _Proper Lock Design_ however there are many insights that can be applied across many aspects of your life if you so choose."

"Thank you, Maester," Jon said with appreciation as he opened the book. "I will do my best to find those insights."

* * *

It was a little over two hours later that Jon closed the book and rubbed his temples. He had chosen to experience the book and the antics of merchants left him at a loss for words.

 ** _Speech +1,000  
Sneak +1,000  
Charisma +1  
Luck +1  
Unlocked Situational Awareness: Basic understanding of how to compose yourself in a given situation to help obtain your desired results_**

"Alright, Jon," the maester concluded while moving to collect the book. "That is enough for today."

"Aye, that was a lot of information to take in all at once," Jon rubbed his temples with the palms of his hands. "Are all merchants so crafty?"

"By now, you should know that the world is not made up of absolutes," the maester chided gently. "Most men are various shades of the characteristics that make up their personalities. There are certainly a rare few that wholly exhibit a characteristic in its entirety. Most have other characteristics that influence the way that they deal and interact with others."

"They all seemed to be so sneaky," Jon reminisced. "Everyone seemed to have a plan and was intent on seeing it through."

"That is the way of life, Jon Snow," the maester acknowledged while putting the book back on its shelf. "As you grow older you will see that a great many people will dedicate themselves to their causes to such an extent that every breath they take and every action that they make is meant to bring them closer to making their vision a reality. Those people can be even more dangerous than a man with a sword in his hand. Words can rouse a thousand swords while the strength of your arms alone will only give you two swords at best. Remember that and you will go far."

 _It sounds like Maester Luwin is warning me to be more wary of the man giving the command than the man wielding the sword_ , Jon contemplated. _Fairly obvious advice considering how great lords, such as father, can raise vast armies while a single deserter from the Night's Watch is quick to surrender when surrounded on all sides by father and his allies._

"I will remember, Maester Luwin, Jon promised. "I think I have done all the reading that I can tonight. What would you recommend me starting with tomorrow?"

"I would expect that you are anxious to read _Legend of Krately_. After reading that book, I think it would be most beneficial for you to move your studies towards the histories of Westeros and the leading Westerosi families. There is much that the past can help us predict about the future. With the king and his entourage making their way to Winterfell it seems likely that you will benefit from having this information sooner than later."

"That makes sense," Jon said while lifting himself from his preferred reading spot. "Would you set aside a few books for me that you think will be most useful?"

"It would be my pleasure, Jon," the old man smiled. "It is reinvigorating to see such enthusiasm from one that most pegged to spend the majority of his days on the training ground. If you keep this up, I anticipate many surprises will be in store for those you encounter in the future."

"I can't explain it but it feels like my eyes have opened in the last few days," Jon confided. "Before everything seemed so much more simple."

"That is both the beauty and one of the downsides of expanding your horizon. While you can see more than when you started your quest for knowledge, that makes it more likely for you to see things that may be unpleasant or contrary to your current perspectives," the maester lectured. "Your task as a scholar is to incorporate your increased knowledge to make sure that your decisions are well informed and deliberate."

"Thank you for your time, Maester. I will take my leave."

"Til the morrow, Jon."


	10. SR010

**AN: Now that peak season is coming to a close at work, I'm hoping to get back to a more regular updating cycle. I must say that I am sometimes surprised by how aggressively enthusiastic my reviewers can be. Thank you for all that took the time. There was a small but significant update made to an earlier chapter based on a review that I received after posting the previous chapter; you can go back and see for yourself otherwise I'm sure you'll figure it out over the next few chapters. Hopefully this chapter is a nice balance for those of you who were beginning to feel a little cabin fever with all of the reading that Jon has been doing over the last few chapters. Enjoy!**

* * *

The next morning passed much in the way that Jon expected. After a quick breakfast, he spent the hours until lunch in the training ground with Ser Rodrik, Robb and the new recruits.

Jon had been made to practice his dual wielding ability while sparring against the others. While the matches were kept to Jon against one opponent, he was able to find victory relatively quickly as his increased intelligence made it easy for him to determine their attack patterns while evading and blocking until he could land what would be a fatal blow if they were using live steel rather than the wooden training swords.

After Jon had defeated each of the others individually, Ser Rodrik took to sending them against him in pairs which resulted in much longer matches. Though, once Jon had successfully removes one of his opponents he was able to dispatch the other very quickly.

At the end of the sparring sessions, Jon was pleased with the gains that he had made to the skills that had been used.

 ** _Blocking: +5,400  
Evasion: +6,600  
One-Handed: +12,400_**

Upon being dismissed after lunch, Jon's initial thought was to make his way to Maester Luwin's to start on _Legend of Krately House_. However, his plans were put on hold when he caught a glimpse of a girl with red hair walking towards the training grounds. Jon changed his course and walked over to his friend.

"Ygritte," Jon called. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Aye, normally I would have stuck to the camp but I wanted to find you," Ygritte admitted while rubbing her right arm with her left hand. "What happened in the cave the other day…"

"That was something else," Jon agreed. "To think that something like that could happen here, at Winterfell…"

"Magic doesn't care who is ruling some fancy castle," she countered. "I thought you would have realized that when that skeleton managed to stand up."

"I don't know about magic but that was definitely something that shouldn't be trifled with," his thoughts flowing freely from his lips. "That could be dangerous if someone stumbled in by accident. Mayhaps I should tell Lord Stark."

"Aye, you could tell your lordly father but where is the fun in that?" the sun seemed to catch in Ygritte's hair as she quickly turned to face Jon. "When you could do something about it yourself?"

 ** _Quest Activated!  
Clearing the Cave: Either take it upon yourself to clear the cave of any potential dangers or tell Lord Stark about the danger.  
Reward for clearing the cave yourself: Gain ? as a companion, 20,000 Experience and increased Reputation with Ygritte.  
Reward for reporting the cave to Lord Stark: Gain ? as a companion, 1,000 Experience and increased Reputation with Lord Stark, Ser Rodrik and the Winterfell Guard._**

 ** _Quest is mandatory_**

 _That's a whole lot of bonus experience to miss out on if I tell father about the cave,_ Jon thought. _There is also no telling how much experience and loot I may be able to get for clearing the cave by myself._

"Well, when you put it like that it sounds like an easy choice," Jon said with as much confidence as he could muster. "You should keep an eye out at the mouth of the cave. If I don't return by dinner, I'll need you to go get someone."

Ygritte laughed at Jon's instruction. "You really think that I'll be waiting while you go and get yourself killed? That's not the way the Free Folk do things."

"Alright, just stay behind me when we get there and keep your bow ready," Jon countered as he started to leave the training grounds and enter the Wolfswood. "I'll keep anything we find busy with my sword so you will be free to shoot anything that suddenly pops up."

"I can live with that, Jon Snow," she said with a smirk. "I may not know much about your ways here but won't you need a sword to make that plan work?"

Jon quickly opened the menu and took the Castle-Forged Steel Sword from his inventory, causing the sheathed weapon to appear on his hip before exiting the menu. "Good thing, I brought this with me."

"Wait, did you have that on you the whole time?" Ygritte's confusion was evident. "I don't remember seeing it when you approached me in the training grounds."

"Of course I had it on me the whole time," Jon lied while trying to keep his tone even. "It's not like a sword could just appear out of the air."

"Right," Ygritte agreed hesitantly while shaking her head to rid herself of the thought. "Your body must have been blocking it from view. I have an eye for details. That's why my shot is so deadly."

"Mighty confident in yourself, aren't you," Jon teased as an attempt to turn her attention from the way the sword had appeared on his hip. "It would seem you just missed on this one."

Ygritte frowned at the jibe. "Well keep it down. We are getting close to the cave and the last times that we've been here there was a big, hairy guard that did not appreciate intruders."

"Right, you are." Jon agreed while unsheathing his sword and holding it ready as Yrgitte nocked an arrow.

Jon gestured for Ygritte to wait as he tested the air before quietly making his way to the left of the mouth of the cave, downwind of any beast that may lay waiting within. When he was in position, he gestured to Ygritte to take a shot when she had the beast within her sights.

The girl crept forward one pace then another before stilling and drawing her bow. The bowstring twanged as she released the arrow and, a moment later, there was a challenging roar from within the cave.

Jon heard movement from within the cave and the largest bear yet padded out from the cave before standing on its hind legs and roaring again. Jon took the roar as his queue and jumped from his position to attack at the bear from behind. Clutching his sword with both hands, Jon stabbed his sword into the back of the bear's leg right at the joint.

The sudden attack caused the bear to fall heavily onto the ground which gave Jon the opportunity to stab the other rear leg in a similar manner with all of his might, his sword cutting through fur, bone and sinew as it pierced into the ground.

The bear screamed in pain and rage as it attempted to turn and confront the creature that would dare attack it in such a manner.

Jon wrenched his sword free and hopped back several steps to put some distance between himself and the wounded, though still very deadly animal. The beast was able to use its mighty front legs to drag its body closer to Jon who slashed it across the muzzle before again backpedaling out of its seriously limited attack range.

When the bear lunged next, Jon countered with a horizontal slash at the beast's mouth that cut through the muscles that gave it such a deadly bite and caused the mouth to hang open limply.

This seemed to be all that the bear could take as it crashed to the ground whining feebly. Jon was not taking any risks with the beast and stabbed his sword down through the crown of the bear's skull causing the bear to shudder before stilling.

 ** _+500 Sneak  
+800 Two-Handed  
+20 Bear Claws  
+40 Bear Teeth  
+1 Bearskin_**

"Not bad, Jon Snow," was the congratulation that he received. "Maybe you should stick to the sword. It seems to suit you much more than the bow."

"Aye, if I had my pick between the two I would take the sword but there are times when using a sword is not practical," Jon admitted. "It would be a shame not to put the Hawksflight Bow to use on occasion after all the time that Camen spent crafting the weapon."

Ygritte only nodded as she kept walking toward the cave with a thoughtful look on her face. "You know, if you are going to make a habit of killing bears then you should be sure to get their claws, teeth and pelt. The Free Folk live off the land and have experience making the most out of all that we kill."

"Oh," Jon was intrigued. "I can guess what you would use the pelt for but what use are the claws of teeth?"

"I'm not sure exactly about the teeth," Ygritte answered. "I think they are crushed up and used for medicines or something of that nature. The claws make great arrows after some fashioning since they are somewhat brittle and can explode if they hit something hard, like a bone, from the force of the shot, causing extra damage."

"I will keep that in mind," Jon's sincerity was evident. "First things first, though. Let's make sure that this cave is safe for anyone who may stumble upon it in the future."

Jon started to make his way into the cave but stopped when he realized that Ygritte was no longer walking with him. She smirked as he looked at her in confusion.

"Aren't you forgetting something, Jon Snow?"

"Um, I don't think so," Jon answered while looking from her to the cave then back to her before looking at the cave again and finally realizing the answer. "Oh yeah, it's dark in there."

Ygritte covered her face with the palm of her hand before taking a deep breath. "Aye, it's dark in there. Last time we had to turn around because we only had one torch and didn't want to be trapped in there with the rats, skeletons and whatever else may be in there."

"We should bring a few torches with us this time to make sure that we have time to do what we set out to do," Jon reasoned. "It would be a waste of time to have to turn around again."

"Right you are," Ygritte agreed. "So help me find wood that we can use as torches in there."

The two set out to find wood that they could use as torches with Jon stashing five extra pieces of wood that were of good size in his inventory when he was out of sight of Ygritte. With a large stick in hand, Jon returned to Ygritte who had a small bundle tied together and slung over her shoulder next to her quiver of arrows.

"I'll hold the torch," Jon proposed. "That way I'll be able to lead us and you will be able to keep your bow at the ready."

"That works for me," Ygritte quickly agreed. "The man holding the torch is usually the one that gets attacked. I am just fine staying on the outside and out of sight of anything that may attack us in there."

"Finally, something we can agree on," Jon nodded. "I would hate for you to get hurt in there because of me."

"Careful, Jon Snow," Ygritte warned. "Keep talking like that and you may find yourself exploring more than one cave today."

"Oh no, is there another?" Jon asked with serious concern. "If there is we should probably clear that one too to make sure that no one gets hurt."

"Aye, I know of another one," Ygritte admitted as her crooked smirk grew. "Trust me when I say it's well protected and definitely doesn't have anything in it that would hurt you."

"Oh. Alright then," Jon said with confusion. "We should probably get going."

"It's all duty with you, Jon Snow," Ygritte said as she took the piece of wood from Jon and wrapped a bit of fabric around the end before lighting it with a strike of her flint. "You sure you will be able to handle this?"

"Easy," Jon answered while taking the torch with his left hand and walking into the cave with his sword held at the ready in his right hand. "See, nothing to it."

"Careful where you're swinging that thing, Snow," Ygritte admonished. "A piece of wood like that could be dangerous."

"No worries, Ygritte," Jon attempted to console the girl as her eyes seemed to sparkle with mirth. "Compared to what I work with in the training yard, this is nothing."

Ygritte couldn't contain herself any longer and broke out laughing while Jon looked at her in confusion.

"As much as I would like to hear more, we should probably get going," Ygritte tried to catch her breath. "Front and center."

Jon shook his head at the girl's antics but followed her instruction, regardless. The pair followed the twisting and turning passage from the mouth of the cave and soon found themselves in the large chamber with vaulted ceilings where Jon had killed the skeevers during their last foray into the cave.

Apparently history was destined to repeat itself as a pack of five skeevers scurried into the room when Jon was halfway to the door. Just as planned, the skeevers didn't even notice Ygritte form the shadows. Jon hacked and slashed at the rodents and took them down very quickly.

 ** _One-Handed +1000  
Skeever Tail +5_**

 _I'll have to see if the Free Folk can do anything with the skeever tails,_ Jon thought quickly before walking towards the corridor that the skeever had used to enter the chamber. _No ring this time. I guess that was not guaranteed loot for defeating a skeever._

As he got to the end of the corridor, Jon took a deep breath to help him mentally prepare for the next room if, by some chance, the skeleton warrior was waiting there for him again. After his brief pause, Jon entered the chamber with the coffin and found, to his relief, the coffin was still open and nothing was lying in wait. Keeping his guard up, Jon circled the coffin and found that it blocked a lever from view. Setting his sword next to the coffin, Jon pulled the lever and caused a section of the wall to suddenly shift, revealing a secret passage.

Jon entered the passage and found a staircase that spiraled downward. The real surprise, however, was that the passage was lit by torches that were burning brightly. Jon was on high alert as burning torches seemed to indicate that there was someone down there to light them.

However, he chose to take advantage of the situation and put his torch into his inventory when the curve of the staircase took him out of Ygritte's line of sight. Holding his sword ahead of him in a two-handed grip, Jon continued down the staircase until he reached a landing with a large door.

Removing his left hand from the hilt of the sword, Jon opened the door causing a loud creak to echo through the chamber. The chamber was lit by a large chandelier hung from the ceiling with candles lit in the same way as the torches from the staircase. Jon quickly snapped his head from right to left to determine if there were any threats but he was unable to find anything.

He gestured for Ygritte to wait at the landing before he made his way into the chamber. As he approached the table there was a rumbling sound that seemed to reverberate through the chamber. Looking for the source of the disturbance, Jon noticed that there was dust and debris coming from the six large elliptical pieces of stone that had been set into the wall. With a cascade of cracks, the large pieces of stone burst away from the wall and thudded onto the chamber floor revealing six skeletal warriors.

Jon acted quickly; he knew that it would take the skeletons on the opposite side of the room time to make their way around the large table in the room's center. He saw that the three skeletons on the same side of the rom were advancing on his position and each was wielding a sword and a shield.

Cursing himself for only having one weapon, Jon threw himself into combat against the closest skeleton. His first three blows were blocked by the skeleton's shield but the last blow managed to take the skeleton's sword arm clean off, removing the threat of its weapon.

Jon took the brief moment of relative safety and glanced at the other two skeletons and saw that they had closed the distance and were less than ten feet apart from him in either direction. His moment of distraction cost him as he was bashed by the disarmed skeleton's shield and fell to the floor. Scrambling, Jon grabbed the sword that it had wielded and pushed himself to his feet holding both swords at the ready.

The other two skeletons had closed the distance and each launched a heavy swing at Jon. Fortunately, all of the sparring had paid off and Jon was able to avoid the blows with ease while repositioning himself so that the three skeletons were all in front of him, rather than surrounding him.

He launched a series of strikes against one of the skeletons with a sword and found that his one-handed blows lacked the power to cut through the skeleton's bones completely. However, the combination of attacks seemed to render the skeleton's sword arm useless. Jon hopped back several times to put some distance between himself and his attackers while gauging the time he had until the other three skeletons converged on his position. He was dismayed to find that two had reached either end of the chamber and the third was not far behind.

Blocking a blow from the last skeleton with the sword held by his left hand, Jon was able to strike its head multiple times with his other sword before he was bashed by of the other skeleton's swords almost causing him to lose his footing.

He noted that the skeleton that he had just attacked fell to one knee and didn't appear to be moving. He launched a quick attack toward each of the shielded skeletons causing them to guard rather than bash him again then quickly brought both swords together to decapitate the downed skeleton.

Relieved of its head, the skeleton fell upon the ground and moved no further. Rather than congratulate himself, Jon launched a series of attacks at one of the other skeletons and was able to dispatch his foe after successfully knocking its shield to the side.

The long hours, which he had been spending in the training yard, paid off as Jon noticed a shadow behind him and was able to mostly avoid the slash that would have removed his arm. However, he gasped in pain as he felt the blade break the skin on the shoulder leaving a shallow cut.

Though his sword skills were growing at an exceptional rate, Jon knew that in a fight with live steel and four opponents he would have to be much more cautious if he wished to escape with his life. Jon dodged the next slash and again repositioned himself so that the four skeletons were all in front of him before running to the head of the table across the room from the door that he had used to enter the chamber.

The skeletons did not seem to have any true strategy as they pursued him. One by one, they followed after Jon and one by one, they fell in single combat as Jon continued his tactical retreat. As the last one fell, Jon whistled sharply, causing Ygritte to poke her head into the room.

 ** _Two-Handed +400  
Evasion +1400  
One-handed +2300  
Blocking +1100  
Skill Level Up: Light Armor +300  
Ancient Sword of the First Men +8 Attack +4  
Ancient Shield of the First Men +11 Defense +4_**

Ygritte's eyes went wide as she stepped into the room and saw the chaos. On one side of the table, near the center of the wall was a pair of skeletons. On the far side of the room, there were four skeletons lying on the ground in a line leading to Jon.

Jon was standing above the last of the skeletons with blood flowing from a wound on her shoulder. Ygritte rushed over to him to make sure that he was alright.

"Jon, your shoulder," she whispered while running her finger along the skin showing on the side of the cut. "Are you ok?"

"My shoulder? Oh yeah," Jon remembered the cut. "I'll be fine."

"Were they like the one upstairs?"

"Just like him. They were big, slow and nasty. I got distracted and one was able to get me with his sword. Not a nice lesson but a lesson learned about staying focused on the current opponent rather than looking forward to the next opponent."

"I should have helped you with them."

"It's a good thing that you didn't. If you had, they may have turned their attention to you and you may not have been able to hit them since they all had shields."

Ygritte looked around the room with a look of confusion on her face. "I see the skeletons but I don't see any swords or shields."

"I didn't really notice it," Jon admitted while thinking quickly. "The weapons must have disappeared when they were defeated."

Ygritte looked skeptical but did not inquire further. "There must be magic in these caves. Between the torches that are somehow lit despite no one coming here for ages and for something like that to happen to their weapons, there is no other way to explain it all."

Jon was reluctant to admit that the answer to the mysteries had to be magic but he didn't want to explain how he had been able to make the weapons disappear. "Do you want to turn back?"

"No point now," Ygritte responded while pointing to the door at the far end of the chamber. "We've already come this far."

"Alright. Well, be sure to stick behind me. I don't want you getting hurt."

"It looks like you should worry about yourself, Jon Snow."

"I'll do that. Now let's see what's behind that door."

The two made their way to the door and tried their hardest to open it but it wouldn't budge. Taking a step back, Jon noticed a lock.

"It must be locked."

"Well, do you know how to pick locks?"

"I have read about it but haven't had the chance to try what I've read."

"Well here is your chance. Take these lock picks and give it a try. I'll keep my bow ready in case there is something on the other side of the door waiting to attack."  
 ** _+10 Lock Picks_**

Jon took the lock pick from Ygritte and got down on one knee to put the lock on eye level. As he read in _Proper Lock Design_ , Jon pushed a lock pick into the lock slowly knowing that he had to trigger the tumblers in order to unlock the door. He pushed until he felt resistance then began to rotate the lock pick clockwise. After 30 degrees he felt a slight click resonate through the lock pick. He took that to mean that the tumbler had been triggered and once again pushed the lock pick until he felt resistance. Knowing that meant he had hit the second tumbler, Jon began to rotate the lock pick again.

It took just over 45 degrees to trigger the second tumbler. Again, Jon pushed the lock pick until he hit the third tumbler. Smirking at his success, Jon turned the pick 70 degrees and felt the tell-tale click that indicated the third tumbler had been triggered. He attempted to push the lock pick further but was unable to do so, which made him think that he had reached the final tumbler. Thinking quick, Jon realized that he did not have a knife to rotate the lock itself so he used one of the other lock picks that Ygritte had given him.

The turn was slow and Jon worried that the pick would break but his luck held. With a loud clinking sound, the lock was released and Jon pushed the door open. Ahead of him, he saw that the corridor angled downward sharply and prevented him from seeing what waited at the bottom.

 ** _Lock Picking +500_**

Steeling himself with a deep breath, Jon followed the corridor and was surprised to see that at the end of the corridor was another door. He turned to Ygritte and gestured for her to wait out of sight until he could confirm that the coast was clear. Pushing the door open, Jon took in the layout of the next chamber.

The chamber was large and cavernous. On either side of the room, there were stairs that led up to a platform. From the entrance to the room, Jon could not see the top of the platform. He gestured for Ygritte to join him and spoke in a hushed voice.

"I'm going to take the stairs on the right and see what is on that platform. I need you to wait here and keep an eye out for me. If things get to heavy on the platform, I'll come back down the same set of stairs and may need you to fire a few shots at anything that comes down with me."

"Just don't do anything stupid and get yourself killed."

Jon nodded and moved in accordance with his plan. When he reached the top of the stairs, he stopped short. Sitting on a throne was a large and muscular man with a crown on his head with a large greatsword laid across his lap. His skin was grey, his eyes were closed and his long white beard sat proudly over his well-developed chest. The one redeeming quality was that his chest was still without the rise and fall that all living bodies shared.

Summoning the courage that had been present when Jon faced against the skeletons, Jon stepped onto the platform. To his dismay, the second that his foot touched down the closed eyes shot open and the corpse-like being stood from the throne and brandished the greatsword at Jon menacingly.

Jon readied his swords to face the towering figure. The crowned warrior slashed at Jon with a two-handed swing with the clear intention of taking Jon's head off. Rather than try to block the mighty blow, Jon ducked under the slash while thrusting the Ancient Sword of the First Men with his left hand and slashing the Castle-Forged Steel Sword toward his opponent's body with his right hand.

The stab landed first but was apparently more than the ancient sword could handle as the blade shattered just as the Castle-Forged Steel Sword landed a solid hit against the undead being's ribs. While Jon stared at the handle of the now useless sword, the undead being launched a front kick at connected with Jon's chest and made him go airborne for a second before a few very long seconds before crashing against an alter like table in the center of the platform.

With the wind knocked out of him, Jon was extremely disoriented but he knew that in combat being still usually resulted in becoming dead. With a mighty effort, Jon heaved himself up and off the table while narrowly avoided a heavy blow that crashed downward and broke the table in two.

Jon knew better than to try and trade blows when he was so completely outclassed in terms of strength. He put the remains of the table in between himself and his mighty opponent while slowly backing down the staircase that had led him to the platform. His opponent was not willing to let him escape and followed him down the staircase.

The first arrow struck the behemoth in the shoulder and caused it to stagger backwards which allowed Jon to get more distance as it attempted to follow only to be hit by more arrows. When one of the arrows lodged into the grey-skinned menace's shoulder its right hand fell limply to its side causing the sword to drop to a much less imposing position.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Jon launched himself at his opponent and took advantage of its sluggish defense. His sword blurred through the air as his strikes found their target. Again and again, Jon struck his enemy before he hopped back to avoid an off balanced swing.

Apparently Ygritte was waiting for such an opportunity as she took the opportunity to send an arrow right into the eye of the undead champion. It fell to its knees and Jon swung his sword with all the strength of his body to remove its head.

 ** _Evasion +600  
One-Handed +200  
Two-Handed + 2700  
Light Armor +100  
Ancient Greatsword of the First Men +15 Attack  
Leather Gauntlets of Vigor +3 Strength+50 SP  
Level Up!  
Open SkillS Menu to Level Up!_**

Jon almost collapsed from sheer relief as Ygritte moved to join him in the chamber.

"Is that the only one in here," she asked while rubbing Jon's back. "That thing had no business walking, let alone swinging a sword."

"No arguments from me," Jon agreed while bracing himself and once again moving up the stairs. "That one was much tougher than the others. Hopefully it's the last one we'll be seeing here. Either way, I won't let my guard down until we are out of this cave."

"That may be the smartest thing you've said all day."

The two made their way up the stairs and Ygritte gasped as she saw the table that the brute had broken in half with its sheer strength. Jon looked around the area for anything worthwhile and was disappointed that he didn't find anything near the table. However, he did notice another lever to the left of the throne where the brute had been sitting.

Without a thought to the contrary, Jon pulled the lever which caused the throne to slide to the side and reveal another secret passage. Like the other passage that he had found, this passage was also alit with torches mounted to the wall. Unlike the other passage, this passage also had a large chest that practically begged to be opened.

Jon looked on both sides of the chest, wary of potential traps. Apparently, whoever had put the chest there thought that its guard and the secret nature of the passage were suitable defenses. He opened the chest as Ygritte entered the passageway causing the Stargaryan ring menu to pop. He saw all of the items in the chest above his inventory.

 ** _? Tome  
? Tome  
? Tome  
Ancient Sword of the First Men (Honed) +13 Attack  
Silver and Jade Circlet_**

He quickly moved the tomes and the sword to his inventory before exiting the menu and presenting the circlet to Ygritte.

"Jon Snow, I told you the last time that we were here. You won't be winning me by presenting me with shiny trinkets."

"All the same, you should have it. I have no use for it and it would look nice in your hair."

Ygritte blushed slightly before taking the circlet from Jon and stashing it in her pack. "Fine, I'll take it. Just don't think I'll be showing you any other caves any time soon."

"Ygritte, after all of this, if you know about any other cave like this you should tell me," Jon said trying to stress the importance. "This one almost did us in and we knew what we were getting into."

"I've told you already, the other cave is well protected. Believe me when I say that even if someone tried to get in they would find their efforts wasted."

"If you say so," Jon reluctantly let the subject drop. "Let's follow this path. It feels like it will take us to an exit."

The pair started moving again and, after a few minutes of walking, they reached a ledge that seemed to drop down into flowing water. Jon looked at Ygritte and nodded before sheathing his sword and jumping.

He broke the water with a splash and was immediately washed out into much lighter water by the current. Several strong kicks were enough to get his head above the water's surface and he treaded water as he waited to see Ygritte.

After a few moments, He saw her hand briefly above water but her head never broke the surface. Jon swam out to meet her and dived down to retrieve her. Fortunately, she had not drifted far. Jon wrapped an arm around her slender waist and pulled her to the surface. When they broke the surface, Ygritte coughed harshly to expel the water that had filled her lungs.

Jon was able to get them to shore and lie Ygritte down to allow her get any excess water from her lungs. After several heaving coughs, Ygritte pushed herself up, looked to Jon and proceeded to tackle him.

"Of all the stupid things to do, you have us jump from into a Children-forsaken pool with such a strong undercurrent? Don't ever think about having me do something so stupid again!" All the while she beat on Jon's chest with her clenched fists. After her anger was spent she was breathing heavily as she purposefully straddled Jon and stared into his eyes. She appeared to think for a moment before leaning down and stealing a kiss. "That was for saving me. Consider the debt paid."

She stood abruptly and walked briskly away from Jon in the direction where Winterfell was still clearly visible on the horizon. Jon pushed himself into a sitting position while bringing a hand to his lips.

 _I can't believe that just happened,_ Jon thought. _One minute she was hitting me and the next minute…_

Jon's musings were cut short when he heard a feeble howl. Whipping his head from side to side, Jon saw a sight that caused in to gasp. A large stag was on the side of the river, about 20 paces away with only one antler and its stomach ripped open and its entrails spilling onto the ground. Although the death of such a creature was sad, it was the extremely large wolf with the antler lodged in its neck and surrounded by six small pups that truly moved Jon's heart.

Having been raised by House Stark, Jon knew that the creature that had been felled by the mighty stag was none other than a Direwolf, the sigil of House Stark. Of the six, Jon noticed that the smallest of the litter had been pushed to the side by his brothers and sisters.

Jon picked up the small wolf and immediately felt a connection between himself and the small wolf with white fur and red eyes.

 ** _Quest Complete!  
Clearing the Cave: Either take it upon yourself to clear the cave of any potential dangers or tell Lord Stark about the danger.  
Reward for clearing the cave yourself: Gain Ghost as a companion, 20,000 Experience and increased Reputation with Ygritte._**

 ** _Level Up!_**

 ** _Jon Snow Level 12: 226,000/310,000  
S. 5 P. 4 E. 5 C. 3 I. 3 A. 4 L. 3 _**

**_S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Perks_**

 ** _Strength: 5  
Perception: 4  
Endurance: 5  
Charisma: 3  
_** _Situational Awareness – Basic understanding of how to compose yourself in a given situation to help obtain your desired results **  
Intelligence: 4  
** Deeper Understanding – Get the most out of the books that you read. You can now find more insights in the books that you read. **  
**Read-Absorb –Absorb the content of a book to increase your knowledge of its subject. Time taken for successful absorption is equal to the amount of time it would take to naturally read the book.  
Read-Experience – Experience the content of a book. Choosing this method will provide a much more comprehensive of the contents of a book. **  
Agility: 4  
Luck: 3**_

 ** _Vitals_**

 ** _HP: 220/220  
SP: 280/280  
MP: 100/100_**

 ** _Skills_**

 ** _Archery 6 (5,400/6,400)  
Overdraw 1: _**_Bows do 20% more damage.  
 **Tracking Shot:** Anticipate the way your opponent will move and adjust your aim accordingly. Shots to the head do three times more damage than regular shots. Chance for instant kill based on level of opponent relative to level of Archery skill._

 ** _Blocking 8 (16,300/25,600)  
Fundamental Defense: _**_Blocks prevent 20% more damage_

 ** _Evasion 10 (58,700/102,400  
Evasive Tactics: _**_20% more likely to evade enemy attacks_

 ** _Light Armor 4 (900/1,600)  
Agile Defender: _**_20% less damage taken when wearing Light Armor_

 ** _Heavy Armor_**

 ** _One-handed 9 (46,000/51,200)  
Armsman: _**_One-Handed weapons do 20% more damage. **  
Dual-wield:** Use one handed weapons with equal proficiency with either or both hands._

 ** _Two-Handed 8 (30,400/51,200)  
Barbarian: _**_Two-Handed weapons do 20% more damage._

 ** _Lock Picking 5 (1,500/1,600)_**

 ** _Pickpocket_**

 ** _Sneak 7 (6,400/12,800)  
Stealth: _**_You are 20% harder to detect when sneaking._

 ** _Speech 6 (5,900/12,800)  
Negotiation: _**_20% more likely to reach a compromise_

 ** _Alchemy 6 (4,000/6,400)  
Alchemist: _**_Brewed potions and poisons are 20% more effective. **  
Potioneer's Instinct:** Tasting ingredients will unlock their properties for use in poison and potion making._

 ** _Smithing 5 (2,000/3,200)  
Apprentice Smithing: _**_Craft beginner weapons and armor that are 10% more effective than standard weapons and armor._

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _?_**

 ** _Open Skills Menu to Level Up_**

* * *

 **AN2: There we have it, Jon now has his most faithful companion. I hope you enjoyed Jon's oblivious interactions with Ygritte. Until next time! Please review! :-)**


	11. SR011

**AN: Well then, I did not expect this chapter to become so lengthy when I started writing. As always many thanks to those that have reviewed, your kind words really keep me motivated to keep writing and posting new chapters. This is one of my favorites so far, so I hope all of you like it. :-)**

* * *

A week passed quickly after Jon returned to the Starks with the six direwolf pups. While Lord Eddard Stark was initially reluctant to allow his children to keep the pups, as they were wild animals, he ultimately caved when presented with the argument that his children and family must be blessed to encounter the mythical beast that has flown proudly as the sigil for House Stark since the days of Bran the Builder.

The Stark children, even proper and prim Sansa, absolutely beamed in joy when they were summoned to receive their wolves. Even the warning from their lord father was not severe enough to dampen their moods when he proclaimed that each child would be responsible for caring for their respective direwolf and that none of Winterfell's resources would be spared to help raise the pups.

Jon formed a fast friendship with Ghost when the small wolf with white fur and red eyes realized that Jon was the only one who would give him food. Even though the young direwolf was still the smallest of all his brothers and sisters, he had begun to close the size gap. Ghost loyally followed his friend like a shadow and Jon was able to teach the direwolf to come at the sound of his name, to stay and that the castle was not an acceptable place to do his business.

The last lesson was particularly significant to Jon. After the first day when he stepped in a very unwelcome pile left by Ghost over the night, Jon resolved to prevent such a thing from occurring again. In doing so, he succeeded in preventing similarly unwelcome surprises in the future as well as earning experience and unlocking 'Command' as a perk.

 ** _Command:_** _The ability to give instruction and the likelihood that those instructions will be followed. The likelihood of a command's success depends upon the level of the one giving and the level of the one receiving the command, reputation and other variables._

The revelation of how command works, made Jon that much more impressed with Lord Stark who had command of the entirety of the North. Jon was diligent in following Lord Stark's command and continued his training sessions with Ser Rodrik and the new recruits.

Due to his rapid increase in skill, Ser Rodrik had ordered Jon to join the more tenured guards during spars since the new recruits were no longer presenting much of a challenge to the Bastard of Winterfell. The increased level of competition definitely resulted in Jon leaving the training field with more bumps and bruises than he would have received with the new recruits but his increased experience gains more than made up for any temporary discomforts.

Additionally, Jon had been able to make great headway with the task set upon him by Maester Luwin. He had decided to leave _Legend of Krately House_ until he had finished reading the other books that he had been assigned. Instead, he had focused on reading the histories of the main houses of Westeros, the tales of battles fought long ago and books on military tactics. This dedication to his studies resulted in him gaining another perk point for Perception and another perk point for Intelligence as well.

As a side effect of all of the reading, Jon was able to unlock another branch of perception. _Sixth Sense – The ability to read body language and situations allowing you to predict the most likely future outcome. What you choose to make of the information acquired by this perk is up to you._

Jon made use of his 'Sixth Sense' while training and his experience gains to Archery, Blocking, Evasion, Light Armor, One-Handed and Two-Handed allowed him to level up and was able to level all of those skills over the course of his training. A comment from Ser Rodrik at the end of the last training session led Jon to believe that the training today would involve Smithing with Mikken and leatherworking with Drayson. Since Jon had assisted Mikken with smithing in the previous week, he was confident that he would be selected to help with leather working.

With all of the bearskins and wolf pelts that he collected, Jon was looking forward to learning how to turn them into something functional. Jon made his way to the dining hall with Ghost padding silently behind him and had what had become his customary breakfast after putting on the Stargaryan Ring before making his way to the training grounds.

Looking around, Jon found that he as the first to arrive. So he turned his attention to Ghost.

"Alright boy, let's get some training done while we wait for the others to show up," Jon instructed. "I'll be practicing with this training dummy and I want you to practice biting and sashing the training dummy next to it."

Ghost cocked his head, as if to ask what Jon expected him to accomplish with his current size.

"I know boy," Jon answered. "You're small now but that won't be the case for long. From what I read in the histories of the Starks, the direwolves of the past were known to grow to the size of a horse. When you're that size you will be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield."

Ghost wagged his tail and padded over to stand in front of the training dummy while raising his hackles in a snarl.

"Attack," Jon shouted, causing Ghost to leap at the training dummy. "I'll do the same."

The two continued attacking their straw opponents for just over half an hour before Ser Rodrik called for them to stop and join the recruits.

 ** _Speech +500  
One-Handed +12,000_**

"Good job, making the most of your time on the training yard, Jon," Ser Rodrik commended. "If that beast of yours grows to be even half the size of the direwolves of old then he will make an enemy think twice about tangling with you."

"That's probably a while off," Jon admitted while scratching Ghost behind his ears. "This little one still needs to catch up with his brothers and sisters before he could be anything close to threatening."

Ghost nipped at Jon's ankle playfully before sitting back on his haunches as if nothing had happened.

"Oh, ho, ho," Ser Rodrik laughed. "Don't be so sure about that, Jon Snow! Anyway, you lot made a decent impression on Mikken and Drayson and they have requested that you be sent to help at the forge and with the leather working today. To make sure that you all are properly versed in what will be expected you as part of Winterfell's guard, the group that was helping Mikken last week will help Drayson this week while the group that helped Drayson will help Mikken."

 ** _Quest Alert!  
Leather Working with Drayson: _**_Assist Drayson in the tannery and learn to work each of the three stations in the tannery. **  
Reward for Completion: 30,000 Experience, Access to Drayson's Tannery in the future, ?  
Penalty for Failure: Decreased reputation with Lord Stark, Mikken, the Winterfell guard recruits and Drayson. Delayed access to Drayson's Tannery in the future.**_

The boys would have grumbled about the menial tasks had it not been a relief from the brutal training regime that Ser Rodrik put them through each day. As it was, they moved without complaint to their specified destinations.

Drayson's dwelling was rather large for one of the smallfolk in Winterfell further than all other buildings from Winterfell, the size of the dwelling reflected his esteemed position as the primary leather worker for the guards. Ghost sat resolutely at the door refusing to enter the leather worker's dwelling because of the smell so Jon went inside without the albino direwolf that had essentially become his shadow. There were several tanning stations set up where hides could be cured, eight large vats of cool water set immediately across from eight vats of the same size filled with water and set upon a large quantity of embers to keep the water at a scalding temperature and twenty man shaped items that were very similar in appearance to training dummies.

"Hello all," the large man with his beard with a pointed beard on his chin. "I am Drayson. I work the leather that is work by the Winterfell guard and Lord Stark, himself. There are three stations here. First all pelts must be cured. Second, the cured leather must be soaked in the cool water before being transferred to the cooled leather to the hot water. Third, the warm leather is molded on the dummies and left to harden while to room temperature. This process is what gives our hardened leather its durability. Depending on the type of animal skin used in the curing process the durability can be higher or lower. The leather that we use for the Winterfell guard comes from the skins of cows or bulls."

"What about bears or wolves?" Jon asked while keeping his head down and not trying to attract any more attention. "How would that leather compare to the normal leather used for the guards?"

"Very good questions," Drayson answered with enthusiasm. "The leather from either of those animals would be much tougher than that which is normally used but we don't actively seek them out as there are far too few to outfit the whole of the castle guard."

"That makes sense," Jon admitted. "If we were to acquire a wolf pelt or a bearskin in the future could we bring it here to cure it and make the hardened leather armor?"

"Most people would seek to turn those skins into cloaks as they are seen as much more prestigious and usually fetch higher prices," the leather worker explained. "However, if you wish to turn such a thing into armor then it would be my pleasure to assist you in such a task."

"Thank you, master Drayson."

"Yes, yes," the leather worker acknowledged. "Now split yourself up amongst the three stations. Don't fool yourself into thinking that you have the easy task if you choose to cure the leather. It takes a fair amount of strength and control to properly to use the knife to remove any skin, hair or fat from a hide that has been soaking in the bating solution. Word of caution, that solution is nasty stuff. Don't let any of it get it your eyes or mouth or you will be very unhappy with the results."

"What's in the solution?" one of the new recruits asked. "Surely it isn't that bad."

"Unless you fancy yourself becoming my apprentice, then I won't be telling you the contents of that mixture," Drayson responded with a raised eyebrow. "Take my word when I say that it is not to be taken lightly."

The boys grumbled a bit about the warning before separating and moving to take place at the leather working stations. Jon moved to one of the curing stations, wanting to move through the process from beginning to end. To the side of tanning station was a large pot covered by a lid which Jon assumed to house the hides that he would be curing. Taking a deep breath, Jon opened the pot and reached in to grab one of the hides.

To say the smell was horrendous would be a massive injustice. The smell assaulted Jon's sense of smell and caused him to gag and drop the hide back into the mixture. Having no other option, Jon reached in again and removed the hide.

"That's it," Drayson exclaimed. "They don't smell nice but it's the end result that matters. Take your knives and shave a few inches of hair from the top and the bottom of the hide. Doing so will let you stich the top of the hide to the top of the tanning station to stretch tight before stitching the bottom. No need to worry about how pretty the stitching looks, we just want to make sure that the hide is stretched tight to get the best result."

Jon fought the urge to gag as he dropped the skin and spread it upon the ground. Trying to distract himself with the task, Jon quickly shaved the fur from the top and bottom of the hide then grabbed the needle and thread from the pouch hanging on the tanning rack and sewing the top of the tanning rack.

The smell of the solution was no less noxious but it was slightly better with the pot closed than with the solution exposed to the air. Jon was able to steel himself and get the skin stretched and the bottom sewed to the tanning rack.

Taking his knife in hand again, Jon began the process of removing the hair and gristle from the hide. The process was slow because Jon did not want to press too hard and puncture the hide but after ten minutes he had succeeded in removing the majority of the unwanted materials from the hide.

"Good start, Jon," Drayson congratulated with a clap on is shoulder. "Give it another few times over with the knife and it will be ready for the cool soak."

Jon nodded and ran the width of the blade over the hide several times before one of the recruits that had been waiting at the water stations came to claim the skin. When it was removed, Jon held his breath before removing another skin from the bating solution. Since he knew what to expect, the experience was not quite as jarring as it was initially.

He was able to prepare the ends of the hide and get it strung up much more quickly than his first attempt and soon found himself in a rhythm with the tanning process. After five more skins, Drayson instructed Jon and the new recruits to move to the next station with those on the molding station moving to the tanning stations and Jon moving to the cooling and heating vats.

Jon expected the first few minutes to be relatively free of exertion since the others on the tanning station had not yet had time to tan any new hides. However, that was not the case. Jon was made to remove a soaked hide from one of the vats and heave with exertion as he was directed to put it into one of the empty vats filled with steaming water.

He dropped the hide with a sigh of relief, glad to be rid of his burden. It was at that time that one of the other recruits came with a large pair of tongs to remove the hide from one of the other vats ad take it to the molding station. Jon watched as Drayson instructed the recruit to drape the hide over the top of the dummy then making cuts diagonally in the corner before wrapping the warm hid around the dummy and trying a length of rope to keep it in position.

When Drayson gave the recruit a nod of satisfaction, he turned his attention to the tanning station and saw that one of the other recruits had nearly completed the tanning process. Jon moved to position to take the skin when the recruit had finished and dropped it into one of the empty vats before turning his attention to the molding station.

Drayson noticed Jon's attention and moved over to him.

"Jon, we soak he tanned hides for a minimum of ten minutes before moving them from the cool water to the hot water. You can, of course soak them for longer than that but that is the minimum to get the desired result. Be sure that you are not moving anything too soon."

"I will make sure."

Jon moved four more hides from the cool water vats to the hot water vats before he was able to get another tanned hide from the tanning station. As he was dropping the hide into the cool water vat, Drayson instructed Jon to move to the molding station before moving to instruct the recruits at the tanning station.

After getting the recruits at that station going, Drayson moved to Jon and directed him to one of the hot water vats. "We let the hides sit in the hot water for at least twenty minutes to get the desired results. You can let them sit longer but at a point the hides will start to break down, which we don't want to happen. I know you were watching how to mold the hides to the fitting dummies, so I won't spend much time with you after we fit the first hide. Just be sure to stick to doing it just the way I show you," Drayson instructed while moving to get one of the hides from the hot water vat with a pair of tongs then moving it to the molding station and spreading it over one of the dummies. "Make sure that the corners line up when you spread the hide over dummy. Then you take a knife and slice from just under the armpit to the corner of the folded hide and repeat on the other side. Next take the back side of the fold and wrap it around the front of the dummy and do the same on the other side. Finally, wrap the front folds around the back of the dummy and tie it as tightly as you can. The pressure caused by tying the layers together will cause them to fuse and ultimately create the shape of the armor as it dries."

Drayson demonstrated the techniques to Jon and brought his attention to where he kept the twine used to bind the hide as it dries. It became evident that cutting through the hide would not be as easy in practice as Drayson made it sound but Jon was up to the challenge. Once Drayson tied the hide into place, he nodded at Jon and gave him a nod and stepped back to admire is work.

Jon took the nod as confirmation that Drayson believed him ready to try his hand at the task. He grabbed the pair of tongs and removed one of the hides from a vat of hot water. Like Drayson before him, Jon spread the hide over the top of one of the molding dummies and adjusted it so the corners lined up exactly before bringing his knife to cut the folds as instructed. As expected, the hide was extremely resistant to the knife already but Jon pressed on and was able to split the hide and wrap it around the training dummy. Grabbing the twine, Jon tied the hide snugly into position before looking over to Drayson.

"That's the way, Jon," Drayson encouraged. "If you do it like that every time and we will have you making high quality leathers in no time."

Jon nodded and proceeded to the next vat that he thought to be ready and repeated the process. Even though the ides spent more time in the hot water than they did in the cool water, the molding process was fairly quick once he got into a rhythm. He was able to clear all eight of the hot water vats of their hides before Drayson noticed that all of the dummies had been covered and called for the boys to stop what they were doing and congratulating them on a job well done.

 ** _Quest Complete!  
Leather Working with Drayson: _**_Assist Drayson in the tannery and learn to work each of the three stations in the tannery. **  
Reward for Completion: 30,000 Experience, Access to Drayson's Tannery in the future, Leather Working Skill Unlocked, Smithing +4000**_

 ** _Leather Working:_** _Craft and improve leather apparel and armor twice as much_

As content as Jon was with his new ability, he was equally content to leave the dwelling even though he had since become used to the smell. The freshness of the Norther air was a welcome relief as it filled his lungs and swept away the last vestiges of the tannery. ** __**

Jon took another deep breath as the other recruits made their way past him and back towards the training grounds. Savoring the crisp air, Jon walked away from the tannery in a different direction than the recruits intent upon finding a tree that ghost could use to practice his attacks.

 _We won't have to practice very long_ , Jon thought. _We'll just have to keep at it long enough for Drayson to think that I have been back to the castle to fetch the bearskins and wolf pelts._

"Ghost, show me what you can do," Jon commanded. "Show me what kind of mark you can make on this tree with your claws!"

Ghost snarled in reply and began swiping at the base of the tree with his paws. After about 10 minutes the pup stopped his attack, laying down and licking his paws.

 ** _Speech +1000_**

Jon scooped Ghost off the ground and carried the direwolf pup back to the tannery. Knowing that the smells would be too much for the pup's sensitive nose, Jon set him down gently so he could rest away from the smells. Jon then removed the bearskins and wolf pelts from his inventory before stepping through the door.

"Drayson, I've come with the pelts that I have collected," Jon announced while moving to drop the hides on a table near the tanning station. "I was wondering what you could make of them"

"Oy, Jon Snow back again already," Drayson greeted. "Let's see what you got there."

Drayson took his time admiring the hides that Jon had brought to him before he finally spoke again. "There is much that can be done with this but my services are not without cost. Have you any armor at this time?"

"Aye, I have a jerkin and a pair of leather gauntlets."

"Right," Drayson acknowledged. "Have you anything to pay for my services?"

"Not much in the way of coin."

"Alright, well what I can do for you is use one of the bearskins to make a set of leather pauldrons to protect your neck and shoulder, a set of grieves to protect your lower legs and knees and a set of cuisse to protect your thighs from enemy attacks," Drayson offered. "Since you are short of coin, I would charge you both of the other bearskins."

"Would you perhaps consider one of the other bearskins and all three of the wolf pelts, if I were to help you with the leather working process?"

Drayson laughed. "You've got spunk, Jon Snow. Aye, I'll take one of the other bearskins and the wolf pelts but I would have you help with the creation of the standard armors while I am focused on your task."

"I agree to your offer. How long will it take you to create those items?" Jon asked. "I can come here to assist you after training each day until they are completed."

"If you prove to be as useful each day as you proved yourself to be earlier then I should be able to get them completed within the week and you will find yourself in one of the finest sets of armor in Winterfell."

 ** _Quest Alert!  
Drayson's Disciple: _**_Assist Drayson in the tannery and learn to work each of the three stations as he crafts your items for you. **  
Rewards for Completion: 25,000 Experience, Increased Reputation with Drayson, Bearskin Leather Pauldrons, Bearskin Leather Greaves, Bearskin Leather Cuisse, greater access to the tannery in the future.  
Penalty for Failure: Loss of Reputation with Drayson, Forfeiture of hides in Drayson's possession, Limited future access to the tannery.**_

"Is it possible to change the color of the leather to black," Jon questioned while accepting the quest and contemplating himself in the new pieces of armor with the Winterfell Captain's Jerkin proudly displaying the white direwolf sigil of house Stark upon his chest. "Then they would match the color of the jerkin."

"Lucky for you it is no great struggle to turn the color of a hide to black," Drayson answered with a nod. "We would simply add a few ingredients to the hot water that they soak in and when they are removed they will have the desired color."

"You have my gratitude," Jon thanked the leather worker. "I look forward to the finished product."

"Nay, I have the majority of your skins and also your labor until the task is completed," the leather worker countered. "Now off with you. I expect to see you until your request is completed otherwise I will consider the skins to be forfeit to me and I will sell them to a man with coin to spend."

"It will be so," Jon promised solemnly. "I will stop by after my training tomorrow."

"Aye," Drayson agreed. "Now off with you. There are things to be done around here and I should be getting to them."

 ** _Speech +1000_**

Jon gave the leather worker an approving nod before taking his leave from the tannery, picking up the one bearskin that remained to him on the way out.

Ghost's ears perked at the door opening and his head turned toward the tannery door as Jon walked outside. When the two made eye contact, the pup pushed himself to his feet and padded over to Jon just as the bearskin disappeared into Jon's inventory.

The two made their way back to the castle and started to make their way up to Maester Luwin's chambers. Just as they reached the staircase that would take them to the maester's chamber a frantic red haired youth rushed around the corner and ran into Jon, turning the pair into a tangle of limbs.

"I'm so sorry," the girl apologized. "I was in a hurry and didn't expect anyone to be in this part of the castle. I'm so worried."

"Sansa slow down," Jon started. "What has you running around the castle like Arya? I would never expect you to be caught doing anything that could be considered unladylike."

"Leave me alone, Jon Snow," Sansa tried to compose herself. "Father told us that he would not spare any of the castle's servants to help with the direwolves and now I can't find Lady. What if she's hurt? I need to find her!"

 ** _Quest Alert!  
A Service for Sansa: _**_Locate Lady and return her to Sansa  
 **Rewards for Completion: ?, 30,000 Experience, Increased Reputation with Sansa and Lady.  
Penalty for Failure: Decreased Reputation with Sansa and Lady, Potentially serious harm to Lady  
Accept?**_

"Calm down," Jon attempted to placate Sansa while accepting the quest. "Ghost and I will find Lady for you."

"You will?" Sansa asked, her face alight with hope. "Please find her Jon; I couldn't bear for anything to happen to her."

"Alright. When was the last time that you remember seeing her?"

"She was with me when I went to my stitching lessons with Old Nan but she must have slipped out of the room while I was focusing on my stitches."

"Do you have anything with her scent on it? Ghost may be able to follow her smell."

"What would I have with her smell on it?" Sansa asked as her face fell back into despair. "I don't know."

"Does she have a bed or something that she has been sleeping on?"

"She does but that's in my chambers and mother would be very cross if you were to go into my chambers."

Jon shook his head at the mention of Lady Stark. "We do not want that. Ok, here's what we will do. Ghost will follow you to your chambers. Point out the place where Lady has been sleeping. He should be able to pick up Lady's smell. I'll meet you at the room where you ladies practice stitching and Ghost and I should be able to track Lady from there."

Sansa looked a bit skeptical at the plan but seemed to realize that Jon and Ghost were her best chance to get Lady back without bringing the matter to her father or the kennel master. "We will be a few minutes. Please don't let me down, Jon."

Jon smiled as Sansa addressed him without bringing up the fact that he was a Snow and nodded to her. "Ghost, follow Sansa and get Lady's scent. We need to find your sister."

The young direwolf's ears perked at the mention of his name and he padded silently over to Sansa with his tail wagging slightly. When Ghost nudged Sansa's leg gently with his head, her bright blue eyes shone in appreciation as she proceeded to scratch him behind the ears. "You'll help me find your sister?'

Jon pushed himself off the ground and offered Sansa a hand to help her stand. "It seems that Ghost would have agreed to help even if I had not already agreed."

Sansa gave him a weak smile before setting off at a brisk pace towards her chambers. Jon knew the location of the chambers where the ladies of the castle practiced their needlework and stitching well as Arya had ranted about the chamber and the women that chattered inanely while practicing what she considered a useless hobby.

He made his way through the corridors and took a position, leaning on the wall outside of the chamber to wait on Sansa and Ghost.

 _If the next week passes in a similar fashion to the time since I was given the Stargaryan Ring, then I may be worthy of the Winterfell Captain's jerkin by the time Drayson is done crafting the other pieces of armor,_ Jon thought to himself. _The new armor will show that I am more than just Eddard Stark's bastard to the world._

Jon was interrupted from his musings as Sansa and Ghost appeared at the far end of the chamber. He moved to meet them and raised an eyebrow. "Did you do it boy? Did you pick up your sister's scent?"

"Ghost sniffed all around the pillows where Lady has been sleeping," Sansa supplied. "He's still so small. Do you really think that he can do it?"

"Aye, he may be small but he has plenty of fight in him," Jon agreed while patting Ghost's head. "Alright, Ghost. See if you can find your sister's smell in this corridor."

Ghost looked at Jon who pointed first to his nose, then to Sansa and finally in the direction that Ghost and Sansa had come from just moments before. Ghost's eyes followed the direction of Jon's pointed finger and his tail started to wag as he put his nose to the ground and began sniffing around.

The small direwolf kept his nose to the ground and set off at a quick pace down the hall. The trio passed through the hallways of Winterfell and found themselves at the castle door after a length. Ghost scratched at the door and Jon looked Sansa whose face showed her uncertainty.

"Ghost and I will take up the search from here," Jon assured the eldest pure born daughter of Eddard Stark. "We will find Lady."

"Please Jon," Sansa beseeched. "For any affection you bear for me, please find Lady and bring her home."

"It will be done, Sansa," Jon promised as he opened the door. "Try not to worry overly much while we are gone. We will be back, with Lady, very soon."

Sansa did not say anything but nodded hopefully before averting her gaze and looking downward.

Jon chased after Ghost who had picked up the pace upon leaving the castle. It seemed that the scent was fresher outside and Ghost did not have to keep his nose quite so low to the ground in order to follow the path that his sister had taken.

The two raced through the training ground and Jon let out an audible groan when he noticed that Ghost was leading them right into the Wolfswood. Jon equipped the castle forged shield and readied himself to fight any creature that may appear due to his presence. The pair had not ventured one hundred paces before they were set upon by a pack of five skeevers that were only slightly smaller than Ghost.

Jon hacked at one then another, causing them to drop to the ground as their lives were extinguished by his blade. Ghost engaged the third slashing and biting while Jon moved to put himself between the final two and his faithful companion. While Ghost was more than a match for one of the beasts, Jon did not want to think what would happen if all of them were to set upon the small direwolf at the same time.

Jon dispatched one of the skeevers with a well-timed swing of his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Ghost had emerged victorious in his first battle and whistled to gain the direwolf's attention. Ghost turned his head from the carcass of his enemy, his white fur painted ref around his front paws and his muzzle, and lunged at the remaining enemy.

After his encounter with the first skeever, Ghost seemed to learn how to face such an enemy. Unlike Ghost, the skeever only attacked by biting. Ghost slashed the skeever's hide causing four red lines to appear on the neck of the creature. When the creature lunged forward to bite at Ghost, Ghost hopped backwards before coiling on his hind legs and slashing the creature's muzzle.

The fight carried on this way for the next minute until the skeever lunged wildly and Ghost whipped his body to the side and latched his fangs into the creature's throat. The skeever's body twitched violently several times before finally stilling. Ghost only released his grip when the skeever was completely motionless.

"Good boy, Ghost," Jon congratulated while collecting the skeever tails and adding them to his inventory. "I hope you didn't forget the reason that we are out in the Wolfswood this afternoon."

Ghost seemed to understand Jon's implications as he once again put his nose to the ground before looking at Jon and setting off into the wood again.

"Slow down boy," Jon commanded, knowing that typically any creature to appear after the skeever was more dangerous and could possibly harm Ghost if it was able to catch the young direwolf by surprise. "We don't know what's out there."

Ghost heeded Jon's command and slowed is pace substantially, moving at the same pace they had kept while they were following Lady's scent with Sansa. After another hundred paces, Jon noted that a sharp turn and a few hundred paces north would take Jon and Ghost to the cave that he had cleared with Ygritte.

That was not to be their destination though. Ghost turned sharply in the direction opposite of the cave and kept the same pace. After a mere fifty paces Jon heard howling and Ghost raised his hackles at the challenge that the sound implied. Four wolves, each easily three times as tall as and many times heavier than Ghost, became visible in passing through the dense foliage of the Wolfswood.

The largest lunged at Jon who put himself between the beast and his direwolf. He was able to meet the lunge with his outstretched sword and impale the beast that fell to the ground, its body trying to find the strength to continue the assault but failing to do more than squirm pitifully. Ghost edged around Jon while keeping away from the deadly maw of the wounded beast and bit at its neck, trying to find purchase through the thick fur.

Jon's eyes scanned the forest in an attempt to locate the remaining wolves. Two lunged from either side and Jon slashed at the leg of the wolf to his right, cleanly removing one of its front legs before turning his body and slashing downward with both hands to cleave the skull of the wolf that attacked from his left.

Jon slashed the flank of the three-legged wolf, further crippling the beast before once again turning his attention to the forest to locate the remaining wolf that awaited its opportunity to attack. He was able to locate the wolf but only after it had sprung from the foliage and knocked Ghost on his flank.

Rushing, Jon moved forward as the wolf started to bring its head down to take a bite out of its smaller opponent. Thanking the Children for his luck, Jon was able to decapitate his opponent with a mighty, leaping two-handed swing of his sword.

The small direwolf got to its feet gingerly and butted its head against Jon in thanks. Jon tousled the fur on Ghost's back to show how proud he was of the dog before Ghost bound to the hobbled, three-legged wolf that was whining pitifully and sinking his teeth vengefully into its neck.

As the wolf drew its last breath, Jon collected the wolf pelts and was surprised to find a ruby when he claimed the pelt from the largest wolf that had attacked first.

Ghost seemed to learn the danger of venturing too far ahead of Jon as he set off at a much more sedate pace with the blood of his fallen enemies still dripping from the fur of his jaws keeping within a few steps of Jon.

The pair continued their journey into the Wolfswood and found Lady huddled against a sheer wall of rock, corralled by a large, easily as tall as Jon, black boar with a red flame like pattern along its midsection that was advancing menacingly with its tusks casting a wicked shadow due to the presence of the sun over its shoulder.

"We're over here, you dumb beast!" Jon shouted to draw its attention from Lady. "Come and get me you big brute!"

The boar turned sharply and charged at Jon, its tusks coming precariously close to impaling the young warrior. Jon slashed at its side as it passed but his sword failed to make an impression on the great beast. The beast continued for several paces before it could bring itself to a stop.

As the beast charged, Ghost made his way to Lady and stood protectively in front of his sister as if he could protect her in the event that Jon was struck by those menacing tusks.

The boar turned itself around again and Jon positioned himself in front of a tree and waved his arms wildly to get the boar's attention and cause it to charge. The boar did not have intelligence to match its great physical stature and threw itself into another charge, which Jon was able to dodge, causing it to run into the tree and stun itself.

Jon took advantage of its stunned and unmoving state to rain two-handed blows upon the beast. As the tenth blow struck, the boar's stunned state appeared to wear off. It pushed itself back up to its feet and prepared to charge Jon again. While he was not surprised, Jon was certainly dismayed that he had still yet to pierce the hid of the great boar.

The boar snorted and growled before chasing after Jon, intent on taking out the foe that dared to attack it with such impunity. Jon again positioned himself in front of a large tree before the boar could charge and leapt out of the way at the last minute causing the boar to run headfirst into the tree causing it to drop to the ground, stunned.

Again, Jon rained blows upon his enemy with as much might as he could muster but all was for naught as the beast was able to shake off its stunned state. Jon moved back and positioned himself in front of another tree, hoping to repeat his strategy.

It was not to be as the boar stomped its feet upon the ground and steam seemed to be expelled from its nostrils. Looking at Jon, the boar opened its mouth and a great ball of fire was shot at him, hitting him squarely in the chest. The impact of the fireball knocked the wind out of Jon but he was still able to avoid the charging beast by a narrow margin, causing it to stun itself again.

Mustering his strength, Jon renewed his attack upon the stunned enemy and managed to hit it ten times before it regained its footing and shot another fireball at his location. Jon was ready for the first and was able to avoid. However, he was not ready for the second and again found a fireball slamming into his chest.

Once again, the wind was forced from Jon's lungs and he was only narrowly able to avoid the charging beast's charge. However, he was not as fortunate as before as one of the tusks cut through his tunic and gashed his right side causing him to bleed. Jon clenched the wound with his left hand as he positioned himself to the boar's side and thrust the tip of his sword into the boar's neck with all of his might.

The reduced surface area and increased thrust was able to do what his earlier thrusts failed to do. Jon's thrust pierced the beast's neck and the beast moved no more. Jon removed his sword and checked to see what items he was rewarded for taking down the enemy.

 ** _Blackflame Cape of Wanton Destruction:_** _+30 defense, +50% resistance to fire, -50% cost to fire-based attacks, +30% resistance to physical attacks and projectiles  
 **? Tome  
50 Gold  
Ivory Tusks (2)  
Pork (6)**_

 ** _+2000 Speech  
+900 One-handed  
+3400 Two-Handed  
+400 Evasion  
+1500 Light Armor_**

Jon held his wound while he staggered over to Ghost and Lady. "Alright, you two we need to get out of here. Let's get you back to Sansa, Lady."

Lady looked at Ghost who moved to follow Jon. The three of them made their way along the same path that Jon took to get to Lady and were able to get out of the Wolfswood without incident. Still clutching his side, Jon walked with the wolves through the training yards and back into the castle. When they got into the castle, Jon made his way to his room more concerned about sleeping off the wound and less concerned about meeting up with Sansa to formally return Lady.

However, it was not meant to be. As Jon climbed the stairwell, he saw Sansa sitting outside his door with her knees pulled to her chest, looking as miserable as he felt. Hearing his heavy footsteps, Sansa looked up and say Jon clutching his side with Lady on one side and Ghost on the other.

"Lady!" Sansa exclaimed, opening her arms and beckoning for her wolf. "Jon and Ghost were able to find you! Do you know how worried you made me?"

 ** _Quest Complete!  
A Service for Sansa: _**_Locate Lady and return her to Sansa  
 **Rewards for Completion: Sansa's embroidery, 30,000 Experience, Increased Reputation with Sansa and Lady.  
Level up!**_

Jon felt instantly revitalized as he leveled up. All of the pain that had been caused by the boar's tusks was gone. "Lady got herself into quiet a predicament, Sansa. The Children smiled upon us today and we got there in time to prevent anything from happening to her."

"Oh thank you, Jon," Sansa set Lady down and flung her arms around Jon. "I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to Lady. You weren't hurt were you?"

Sansa held Jon at arm's length and looked Jon over, up and down. She caught a glimpse of his muscular stomach and due to the tear in his tunic and looked away blushing.

"It's nothing," Jon hurried to explain. "Lady found a boar and it was moving in on her so I had to distract her to get it away from her. It caught me by surprise and was able to put a tusk through my tunic but just barely missed me."

"I'm glad you're safe," Sansa said looking Jon straight in his eyes. "Both of you," she added while turning her gaze to Lady. "Don't either of you worry me like that again!"

"Yes, Lady Sansa," Jon acknowledged with a laugh at Sansa's concern. "Train Lady to make sure that she won't wander off like that again. It may be even more important than your needlework in the future"

"Speaking of needlework, you'll need your tunic repaired. If you wish, I can fetch a needle and thread from my chambers and stich up your tunic for you," Sansa offered. "If you ever need anything sewed again in the future, it is the least I can do since you saved Lady."

"Aye, I'll take you up on that offer, Sansa," Jon agreed while looking down at the tunic and noticing that the dark fabric was concealing a large amount of blood. "I will take you up on that in the future but right now I think I should go see Maester Luwin."

"Why would you need to go see Maester Luwin," Sansa asked suspiciously. "Are you hurt? How bad is it?"

"No, it's nothing like that! I just promised him that I would stop by this afternoon and he is probably wondering if I am going back on my word," Jon assured quickly. "It is good that you do not have to worry for Lady anymore."

"Father says that direwolves are pack animals," Sansa stated while looking away from Jon. "I will always worry for my pack."

"Thank you, Sansa. I'll do my best to make sure that you do not have worry overly much for the rest of your pack," Jon stated earnestly. "It wouldn't do for a direwolf such as yourself to spend her days worried."

Sansa laughed and released Jon. "Have a good afternoon, Jon. Please let me know if I can help with any stitching in the future."

"I will," Jon promised. "Now I must go."

Jon excused himself and made his way to Maester Luwin's chambers to start his afternoon reading with a smile on his face.

* * *

 **AN2: So that was that. Please let me know what you thought about the chapter. The more specific you are, the more I can tailor future chapters to contain more of what works and less of what doesn't work so well. I hope you enjoyed! :-)**


	12. SR012

**AN: First off, apologies for the delay. I am definitely looking to get into a more regular update cycle but it seems that life doesn't agree with that plan. I updated all the previous chapters which was super time consuming in conjunction with creating and updating a spreadsheet to keep track of all of the various stats. A special thank you very much to everyone who has reviewed, favorited and followed; if not for you, this story probably would have been abandoned despite my enthusiasm for the concept. A reminder, I do not own GoT, ASoIaF or Skyrim and give all credit to the creators of those exceptional works where it is due. That being said, enjoy the new chapter and leave me a review with your thoughts to help motivate me to continue. :-)**

* * *

The morning had passed in much the same way as the previous two weeks for Jon. He had committed himself to grinding his skills and leveling since his encounter with the boar. That encounter had illustrated very clearly that he was not yet ready for the challenges that he would be facing since his life had been so drastically altered by the simple act of putting a ring on his finger.

Jon rolled his shoulders to relieve some of the tension that had built up throughout the course of the morning's drills after he had successfully goaded his opponent into making a mistake and managed to obtain victory. Since finishing the Learning with Luwin quest, Jon had noticed that his ability to taunt his opponents had become significantly more effective. By expanding his knowledge, Jon had realized that different personalities and different situations could manipulated in certain ways which resulted in him succeeding in his taunts much more frequently than he had in the past.

"Alright, that's all for the day from you. Get some rest and be ready to sweat tomorrow morning," Ser Rodrik said approvingly. "Jon, I expect you to be in top form for tomorrow's training. You won't always be able to rely on pretty words to get you out of tricky situations."

"Right," Jon acknowledged as he made to leave the training grounds. _Maester Luwin was so much more laid back in regards to my training before I started wearing the Winterfell Captain's Jerkin,_ Jon mused while his head bent down to inspect his attire.

Between the Winterfell Captain's Jerkin with the Direwolf sigil of House Stark proudly emblazoned on the chest, that he was rewarded after successfully capturing and defending the Broken Tower during a drill with Maester Luwin and the new recruits, and the Bearskin Leather Pauldrons, Bearskin Leather Greaves and Bearskin Leather Cuisse that Drayson had made in exchange for Jon's services at the tannery, he looked formidable.

 _Looks don't matter, when it comes down to a fight_ , Jon thought to himself how please he was with how his attire had come together. _I can't deny, if I encountered someone attired in such a way, I would definitely not want to get on his bad side._

Jon smirked with content at the thought. _I don't want to have to explain how I came to have the Blackflame Cape of Wanton Destruction but I will be sure to equip it before going into any dungeons in the future. Eventually it won't matter what I wear but it would raise questions that I would prefer to avoid for the time being._

Jon followed the path that had become very familiar to him since acquiring the Stargaryan Ring and made his way to Maester Luwin's chambers. After finishing the Lessons with Luwin quest, the Maester had told Jon that he should take a few days off from his book studies so that he would be ready for the next step of his studies.

While Jon had followed the Maester's instruction, he couldn't help but feel a kind of nervous anticipation at the direction that his instruction would take now that he had proven his dedication to the pursuit of knowledge. So far, Jon had learned much of Westerosi history and customs in addition to exploring various subjects that could be incorporated to surviving in the world outside of Winterfell.

He had learned how to determine the best place to make camp for a night on the road, how to set up a tent, how to build a fire, various methods for tracking and capturing prey in addition to identifying various plants that could be eaten for sustenance. On top of all of that he learned how to prepare a wagon, how to fix a broken axel, how to gauge the best horses to full the wagon and how to care for those horses to make the best time on his travels.

With the breadth of his current education, Jon felt very confident that he would be able to survive when the world pulled him from the safety of Winterfell's walls. However, the confidence that he had in his new found skills made him all the more wary about what the Maester had to teach him that would require him to take time off from his studies.

It was with a sigh of apprehension that Jon knocked on the door before letting himself into the Maester's chambers.

"Ah, it's you, Jon! Welcome, welcome," the Maester greeted. "Do come in. There is much for you to learn but the amount of instruction that I can provide is woefully limited."

"I'm sure that is not the case," Jon said in an attempt to reassure the older man, unsure of why the learned Maester was discounting his ability to provide instruction.

"Thank you for the faith you put in this old man. As much as I wish it was not the case, in the direction that your studies seems destined to take, I am as much a novice as you, yourself. Upon forging the final link of the Maester's chain, each Maester is gifted a copy of the same book. The book is completely illegible to all but those with the clearest of vision and a certain aptitude that one must be born with. Since that aptitude cannot be learned through conventional means, the content of those books is mostly kept hidden from the world. However, each Maester is given liberty to share the book with those he feels may possess the needed aptitude to understand."

"I don't know what to say, Maester Luwin."

"You don't need to say anything Jon. I would have you look upon that book to see if I am correct in my thinking that you may possess the aptitude needed to understand. If I am correct, it is imperative that you keep the content of that book secret from any who would wish to learn the secrets held within. If I am wrong then you will not be able to obtain any information from the book which would keep its secrets protected. Though, I would ask that you not discuss the fact that I have such a book in my possession."

"I wouldn't dream of spreading such information after all you have done for me over the last few weeks. What is the name of the book?"

"That, I cannot tell you. It is a secret that only reveals itself to those with the aptitude to understand. Unfortunately, I do not possess such an aptitude to learn its secrets."

The Maester pulled a key from within his robes and stood from his seat. He moved to a section of the wall that was unremarkable in its appearance. He inserted the key into a lock that could have been easily overlooked due to the rugged contour of the wall. With a turn, the key stuck fast and the Maester used the rung as a handle to pull a drawer from the wall and remove a dusty, leather bound book from its interior.

"This is one of my most valuable possessions. You are the first that I have ever shared it with outside of the other Maester's from the citadel. While I hope that I am right about your potential, know that possessing the needed aptitude to learn from its pages is exceptionally rare. Even if you are unable to learn from its pages, we will still continue your studies, if you would still like to do so."

"Thank you for putting your faith in me. Even though it is unlikely that a bastard like me would have such a rare talent, I would very much like the chance to learn. Whether it is from that book or other lessons that you see fit to teach me, I have every intention of continuing my studies."

"You have grown much since first stepping into these chambers all of those weeks ago. Now take this book and see if you can succeed where so many have failed before you."

The Maester handed Jon the book and gestured for the boy to take his customary seat facing the fireplace. Jon settled into his seat. He got comfortable for a long reading session. He opened the book and he was thoroughly underwhelmed.

All he saw was a series of unintelligible scribbles that seemed to shift and distort even more as he tried to focus on them. He let out a sigh and made to close the book when a familiar message appeared.

 _ **The Black Arts on Trial  
Absorb the content of this book or Experience the content of the book?**_

Jon tried to be subtle as he chanced a glance at the Maester who had seemed to become suddenly engrossed in a task involving a set of vials on one of his desks. _If this book is as valuable as the Maester has made it seem, then I definitely need to get everything out of it. It's no question, this is a book to experience rather than absorb._

 _12-12-12-12-12_

 _The Black Arts On Trial_

Jon walked with a tall man with dressed in dark green robes with a bald scalp and a flowing white beard named Garth Greenhand among the many Weirwood trees present on the Isle of faces. The two of them were to on what many considered to be a haunted Isle to meet with one of the leaders of the Children of the Forest. They hoped that together they could come to a pact on the practice of teaching knowledge of the Dark Arts.

"I can't seem to find any other course of action," Garth said fervor. "Knowledge of the Black Arts should be spelled in such a way to prevent the information from falling into the hands of those that would seek to make use of such practices to disseminate evils upon the realms of man. Any who wish to learn of such things should have to be judged worthy to learn such secrets from the Mage Maesters of their time. Before delving into such secrets, they must know that know that all actions have consequences ant that the most evil of actions often are most often met with dire consequences visited upon he who dares to take such an action."

Jon nodded in agreement with Garth's assessment. "Though I have my doubts about teaching the Black Arts to prospective scholars, isn't it our prerogative to teach the next generation? Isn't it our mission to pass our knowledge to them so they are prepared for the obstacles that they may encounter in their journeys?"

The two continued to walk until they came across what appeared to be a young girl with greenish skin, a high forehead, earthy colored hair and yellow eyes clothed in vines.

"Hello, I am Brandon Stark," the words came out of Jon's mouth seemingly of their own volition. "This here is Garth Greenhand. Who might you be?"

"You may call me Leaf," the being declared with a certainty that belied her stature. "You are the representatives from the world of man who wished to treat upon matters of the Black Arts?"

"Aye, we are the same," Garth interjected while looking at Leaf critically. "Those Black Arts bring much more trouble than they bring good to the world. We ought to protect the world by prohibited such practices."

"Now Garth, you are a learned man," Jon reasoned with the leader of the First Men. "You certainly know that necromancy, or the Black Arts, has a history that dates back before recorded time. Even though it was not enough to stop the practice entirely, virtually all the earliest laws of the land make mention of it as expressly forbidden on pain of death."

Garth responded with a gruff nod that Jon took as a sign to continue. "In fact, the ancient mages, expressly forbade its use, not only because it was dangerous, but due to their belief in the continued journey of the soul after death made it heretical. The practice and the teaching of Necromancy were officially denounced by one of the foremost mages of antiquity as he declared practitioners to be enemies of life. Again, despite this, we hear tale after tale of magical adepts who ignored this edict to continue upon the dark path."

Leaf seemed to grow agitated when Jon asserted that the practice of Black Arts was heretical but let him continue his preamble.

"Many years have passed since that decree was made public and spread throughout the known world. Almost all archmages since the edict have stood by the decision to banish the infernal practice. However, in the most whispered conversations on the darkest of nights there are still those who continue make inquiries into the practices of Necromancy. The edict has never been lifted but, as the threat of evil necromancers has become more myth than fact, attitudes towards the practice has shifted back and forth over the years. Some archmages have been inclined to ignore it entirely while a growing number has fought very actively against it. Worse still, a number of the archmages that supported the Black Arts have been rumored to be Necromancers themselves."

Both Garth and Leaf shifted uncomfortably at the mention of continued Necromancy after it had been denounced as the Black Arts and a sin crime against humanity. Jon stared purposefully into the eyes of his companions before continuing.

"As the preeminent archmage or the modern age, it is my duty to set policy on this matter. Though I have my own opinions on the Black Arts, I have sought counsel with two of the most learned mages in the known world so we may debate the merits and detriments of the practice of Necromancy, the Black Arts."

Leaf was quicker to compose herself after Jon finished speaking. "Necromancy is poorly understood. If the years after the edict against the Black Arts have taught us anything, we will not make the practice disappear by ignoring it. As an intellectuals dedicated to the study of the magickal arts and sciences, we have obligations to the truth. Censoring ourselves and others in our scholarship, while claiming a better understanding of the forbidden material, is antithetical to the goal of neutrality and objectivity."

Garth's eyes grew huge as Leaf presented her first point and when she finished speaking he was ready with a counter argument. "It is known that mages must balance their quest for knowledge, power and understanding with responsible caution and a dedication to an ethical high ground. We cannot confuse the practice of 'censoring' a student's course of study with urging him to proceed cautiously and with purity of purpose in his scholastic endeavors. Students are provided with great opportunities for growth under the tutelage of one who is older and wiser with confidence that their teacher will help them grow to heights that they would not likely reach without such guidance."

Leaf scoffed at Garth's words but allowed him to continue. "Necromancy is a disease that has been unleashed upon the civilized world. To embrace such a long vilified magick publicly would cause the Mages to inspire fear and hostility within the smallfolk. The order of Mage Masters was neither founded with intention or purpose of standing above the opinions of those who rely upon us for guidance. To take such a stance by supporting such studies would be both elitist and separatist which would surely lead to the alienation of our order in those places where sentiment against Necromancy is very strong. We ignore public opinion at our own risk."

Towards the end of Garth's argument, Leaf clearly had a rebuttal. When he stopped speaking, she took advantage of the opportunity. "Yes, we are all in agreement that our actions should be sensitive to the concerns of the community at large but they should not, and must not, dictate our scholarship. We should educate the populace as the vast majority believes the term 'Necromancer' to simply refer to an evil mage. It is madness to limit our work because of prejudices and half-formed understanding. It is an affront to the purpose of objective study to turn our back on a subject merely because of public opinion."

Leaf tilted her head to look down upon the taller Garth, who had scoffed at her words, before continuing. "Necromancers are well known to be the scourge of the known world. Whether operating independently or in concert among each other, they are responsible for many horrors, animated zombies and skeletons and other forms of the undead. To best combat this potential menace, we must understand the powers of the Necromancer, and we cannot do that by restricting our study of the Black Arts."

Garth's usually pallid face had taken on a red hue at Leaf's words. As soon as Leaf had finished speaking he launched right in with a heated response to her claims. "No one is disputing the threat of the Black Arts; in fact, that is the very essence of my argument against the Mage Masters spreading knowledge of the practice by propagating the subject through teaching to our initiates. We can and should know what our enemy is capable of, but we must be extremely diligent that our pursuit of that knowledge does not cause us to make the mistake of looking too deep into his ways, and making those ways our own. We do no one any good if, by studying the evil ways, we end up devoting ourselves to evil."

Garth took a deep breath to steady himself before continuing his conjecture. "Only a fool would argue anything but the fact that Necromancy is inherently dangerous. One cannot 'dabble' in it. The simplest spell requires the spilling of blood, and immediately begins to corrupt the caster's soul. This is not conjecture, but simple fact. It is irresponsible of the Mages to teach and thereby encourage a sort of magickal study which has proven itself, time and time again, to bring nothing but terror and misery on the practitioner and world."

In contrast to Garth's withdraw into himself, Leaf actually laughed at his fervor before responding. "All Schools of magicka are dangerous to the uninitiated. A simple fireball spell from the School of Destruction can cause great harm when cast by a novice, not only to others but to the mage himself. Conjured or Altered foodstuffs could be fed to an unwary soul and incorporated the body causing fatal harm. An Enchanted item could curse an innocent soul robbing them of their youth. Illusion magic could project a bridge over a fast running river and cause a weary travel to meet his demise. The School of Mysticism by its very nature forces the practitioner to divorce his mind from logic, to embrace a temporary sort of insanity, which one might argue is very like corrupting one's soul."

Leaf took Garth's dropped jaw as a signal to continue her lecture. "The teachings of the Mage Masters already graze against some of the furthest edges of the Black Arts. The 'Schools' of magicka are, as we know, artificial constructs, originally formulated by Mages of old to divide and thereby simplify study. They have changed many times throughout the years, but at their heart, every Master knows, they are all linked together. When a student of Conjuration summons a guardian ghost, he is touching on the School of Necromancy. When a student of Enchantment uses a trapped soul, he too may be considered guilty of a Black Art. The School of Mysticism, as I have stated before, has some kinship with Necromancy as well. To state that students may not learn the ways of Necromancy is to stifle common skills in the other, more historically legitimate Schools of the Guild."

All color drained from Garth's face at the mentions of how the most prevalent schools of magic could be used to for ill intentions. He cleared his throat in an attempt to regain his composure before rebutting the yellow-eyed leader of the Children. "Yes, the Schools are intertwined, but the standard spells of each School have passed the proof of time. We know that a student of Mysticism, properly instructed, will not be permanently harmed by his experience. In many ways, it is a question of extremes - how far we would permit our studies to take us. Necromancy by its nature relies on the practitioner going further into the darkness than is wise, virtually guaranteeing his destruction. It has no place in the Mages Guild."

It was then that Jon had heard enough and was ready to give his verdict on the matter of the Black Arts. "The risks of studying Necromancy outweigh its usefulness. The Mage Masters do not wish to censor the study of any potential practitioner of the magickal arts, but they should not tolerate studies in the Black Arts, except in limited form for the purpose of combating its evil adherents. This may only been done by rare individuals who have proven themselves both highly skilled and highly cautious, and then only with my express permission and supervision."

Garth beamed at the proclamation but Leaf looked almost betrayed by the same words. After formal, if strained, farewells the three departed from the Isle of Faces

Jon returned to the North and had a heavy heart when he was forced to acknowledge the truth behind the rumor that Leaf was more than an advocate for study of Necromancy, she was a Necromancer herself.

Upon this revelation, many good men lost their lives when they attempted to apprehend her at her in a pitched battle between the Children and the First Men. Despite the cost in human life, Leaf successfully evaded capture and remained at large to refine her knowledge of the Black Arts. Though there is a tentative peace in the form of a Pact between the new leader of the Children and the First Men, there are still whispers that Leaf is out there building an army to fight off what she considered to be the invading First men.

Though Jon disagreed with her motives, he saw value in the logical reasoning with which she presented the Black Arts enough to include her arguments in the book that he was writing to validate his decision to outlaw the Black Arts henceforth in Westeros, on pain of death. Despite later revelations of her character and practices, he saw no reason to remove them. It was disappointing, however, to see that her interest in 'the truth' was nothing more than a euphemism for her slavery to the Black Arts.

This unfortunate situation merely illustrates how essential it is for Mage Masters to be wary of the lure of Necromancy, and be vigilant to its practitioners' infiltration into the esteemed collection of scholars.

The Illusions that Jon placed on the text were untested but they were designed to both prevent those without a magical affinity from comprehending anytime an adept spends reading its contents and prevent those same people from gaining knowledge of the contents therein. He recognizes that novice mages should be perfectly at liberty to share the information contained within the book at their own discretion if they are trusted with protecting its contents Still, he plead caution and discretion from his contemporaries, as the arguments have implied there are those who would seek out such Dark Arts for personal gains that could result in serious harm to others.

12-12-12-12-12

 _ **Magic Unlocked  
Illusion Unlocked  
Illusion +1000  
Conjuration Unlocked  
Conjuration +500  
Destruction Unlocked  
Destruction +500  
Alteration Unlocked  
Alteration +500  
Enchanting Unlocked  
Enchanting +500  
Restoration Unlocked  
Restoration+500**_

 _Wow, magic is real._ Jon couldn't help but feel incredulous and skeptical. _I guess there is some truth to those stories that Old Nan would tell us after all. To think that magic exists in this world but most people can never see it for themselves. If not for the skill notifications, I don't know that I would believe it even after reading that for myself. At least this explains how that boar was able to spit balls of fire at me when I went to find Lady for Sansa._

"Oh, Jon it's nothing to be ashamed of that you were not able to read the book," the Maester incorrectly assumed when he turned to see Jon looking at the cover of the closed book with a grim look on his face. "As I was saying, it was unlikely that you would have been able to read such a book but something about you made me want to give you the opportunity."

Jon tried to speak up but the Maester continued expanding on his thoughts. "No need to feel down. I'll take that from you and we can resume our studies when you are ready."

"Um, alright. Thank you for the opportunity, Maester. I'll be going."

Jon stood and handed the book back to the maester before leaving the Maester's chambers and returning to his own quarters. _Maybe I should have told Maester Luwin what I read in the book._ Jon mused while approaching the door to his quarters. _He has been extremely helpful so far. It seems wrong to keep something like this from him after he was the one who made it possible for me to learn about magic._

Jon entered his quarters and leaned against the door and allowing gravity to pull him to a seated position on the floor. _Things seem to be moving so quickly since I first put on the ring. I've been grinding for levels and pushing to develop skills I never would have really thought about before. Now, I find out that not only is magic real but I can use magic. Now I'll have to figure out a way to learn to use the magic that has now entered my world. If Maester Luwin doesn't know that magic exists then he will not be able to help me to develop my magic._

 _I expect that the section of the Stargaryan Ring menu that was initially hidden was probably for magic. If that is the case, maybe those tomes that I picked up while exploring the cave and after fighting the boar may be able to shed some light on how to use magic._

Jon removed the four tomes that he had acquired from his Inventory and his mouth fell open when he observed them.

 _ **Fireball Tome: Destruction magic that allows the user to shoot balls of fire from their hands. Cost: 50 MP. Damage: 40 HP (Strong likelihood of causing burn).  
Flames Tome: Destruction magic that allows the user to shoot a torrent of fire from their hands. Cost 8 MP per second. Damage: 5 HP per second (Low likelihood of causing burn).  
Frost Tome: Destruction magic that allows the user to shoot frost crystals from their hands in an arc, can hit multiple enemies at the same time. Currently shoots three snowflakes. Cost 10 MP. Damage: 5 HP per snowflake (Low likelihood of freezing opponent).  
Sparks Tome: Destruction magic that will call down the power of lightning from the sky that will home in on an opponent within 15 feet of the caster and strike without fail. Cost: 15 MP. Damage: 12 HP.**_

 _ **Would you like to learn these skills?**_

Jon was practically drooling as he clicked the 'Yes' pane that had appeared before him causing all four of the tomes to disappear in a burst of light.

In his enthusiasm, he almost called out for a fireball but he caught himself when he realized that using magic within the castle could be a bad idea. Jon looked around nervously as if someone could have witnessed his momentary lapse in judgment before pushing himself from the floor and turning to leave the room.

He opened the door and quickly made his way through the halls of the castle, excited at the prospect of trying his new abilities after reading their descriptions. Once he left the castle, it was all Jon could do not to sprint to the Wolfswood. He knew that doing so would draw the attention of anyone who might see him which would be an exceptionally bad idea given he was trying to be discreet about his new power.

While he was walking, he saw Bran off in the distance with Arya and Rickon along with their direwolves. Seeing the direwolves made Jon think of Ghost, who had been included in their games while Jon was busy with his training that morning.

As if the direwolf had heard Jon's thoughts, he butted his head against his master's leg to let him know that he would be accompanying Jon on his journey into the Wolfswood. While Ghost was still small, he was no longer the quite runt that he had been when Jon found the direwolves initially. All of them had grown significantly since coming to Winterfell and, though still slightly smaller than his brothers and sisters, Ghost was rapidly approaching the size of a regular dog.

"It's good to see you. Come on boy," Jon greeted while giving Ghost a quick scratch behind his ears. "We are going to have some fun today."

The pair set off towards the Wolfswood and Jon cast a quick glance back toward the castle to see if anyone had noticed him before entering the Wolfswood.

 _ **Warning: You are about to enter the spawn zone, Wolfswood. In the Wolfswood, you will encounter various creatures capable of causing physical damage. The unwary traveler will find himself falling prey to the numerous predators large and small that claim the Wolfswood as their home. It is recommended that characters below level 10 travel in parties to better combat the various enemies that will be encountered.**_

Jon equipped the Castle Forged Steel Sword from his inventory while keeping his left hand free to cast spells. It seemed that the enemies had respawned as almost immediately Jon and Ghost were set upon by four skeevers. Ghost immediately moved to engage one of the rodents while Jon eyed the other three before raising his left arm and saying, "Frost."

Immediately, three large frost crystals formed in front of his palm before launching towards the attacking skeevers. Each of the attacks successfully laded and caused the skeevers to pause momentarily as if they were stunned.

The momentary delay was all that Jon needed as he fired the attack three more times in quick succession. The snowflakes found their targets and the skeevers dropped to the ground.

 _ **Frost +1200**_

Jon had used almost half of his MP on that series of spells but he had also gained experience with the spell and had his first experience using magic. _Using the Frost spell felt like a cold unstoppable determination had coursed through my arm before coming into existence before my hand and shooting at the skeevers. If that is what ice based magic feels like, I can't wait to see how the fire and lighting based magic feels. Using magic really is more than just saying a word, I don't want to think of how the Black Arts must make the user feel._

The sound of jaws snapping brought Jon back to reality in time to see Ghost dispatching the skeever that had dared to challenge him. Jon collected the skeever tails from the skeevers that he had defeated before moving to collect the tail from Ghost's fallen opponent.

"Good job, boy," Jon congratulated with a quick pat for his canine companion. "Let's keep going."

The pair continued walking, sticking to their route religiously, as if they were being pulled by a mysterious force. After a few minutes of walking they heard a rustling sound from the brush and a trio of wolves jumped into the path with fangs bared.

Ghost's hackles rose as he glared defiantly at the new enemies. Having learned from his first encounter, Ghost did not rush the larger challengers. Jon raised his left hand while keeping his sword at the ready in his right hand and said the word 'Fireball.'

The heat raced through his arm and formed a ball of fire approximately one foot in diameter that blasted toward the largest of the wolves at a very high speed. The wolf did not have time to avoid the projectile and crumpled to the ground in a steaming heap.

The other two sprang away from their fallen companion and attempted to take vengeance on the one that downed their comrade. Jon was running low on magic, so he fell into his sword stance before lunging and plunging his sword into one of the wolves' hearts with both hands.

With a yank, he freed his sword from his vanquished opponent and gave it a quick spin to send the blood that had coated the blade flying onto the ground before slashing at the remaining wolf with purpose. The slash opened a gaping wound on the wolf's side and caused it to lose its balance and fall to the ground.

Ghost made the most of the opportunity and took the chance to lodge his fangs into the throat of the downed beast.

 _ **Fireball +500  
Two-Handed +200  
One-Handed +100**_

After a quick scratch behind the ears from Ghost, Jon collected the Wolf Pelts and Wolf Teeth from his downed opponents before the pair set off again.

Jon and Ghost continued to follow the path and in short time they were standing a mere twenty feet from an area that Jon had never seen in all of the time that he had spent exploring the Wolfswood. As Jon moved closer to the area the scene seems to ripple before fading away to reveal the entrance to a cave. When the cave was revealed, Jon received a notification.

 _ **Illusion +500**_

 _It seems that knowing that magic exists and that Illusion magic can be used to conceal things from non-magical people will let me find things that would have been hidden from view otherwise._ Jon was reluctant to rush into the cave given his recent experiences with the caves surrounding Winterfell and his knowledge of what can be waiting within. _Since everything about the cave seems to be directly related to the Stargaryan Ring and the revelation that magic is real, it is almost guaranteed that there will be enemies inside._

Jon noted that his MP had recovered by 35 in the seven minutes since he last used any magic. _My MP seems to recover by five points for every minute that I'm not using it, I should wait a few more minutes before going into the cave so that I have all of my magic available to use._

Jon waited until his MP had regenerated completely before slowly edging toward the cave with his sword raised in his right hand and his left hand held ready to launch a spell at the first sight of an enemy. _As much as I would like to increase my magical skill, I should probably save it in case there is an enemy that I can't defeat with my sword. Speaking of my sword, I should probably use one of the Ancient Swords of the First Men instead of the Castle Forged Steel Sword. The attack value is lower but it would matter much less if something happened to it while exploring._

Jon stopped to switch out his sword for a moment before continuing to the cave. Due to his previous experience with caves, Jon thoroughly expected a bear to have taken refuge in the entrance to the cave. However, much to his delight, it seemed that the power of the Illusion also worked against wild animals such as bears as there was no furry problem to be dealt with contained within.

With the light that manages to enter the cave from the outside, Jon was able to see a torch on the wall that was currently not lit. Remembering how the torches from the previous cave had been lit and allowed him to make his way through the cave, Jon moved to examine the torch.

 _ **Use 50 MP to light the torches?**_

Jon tapped the 'Yes' pane that had appeared before him causing the torch to light.

 _ **Flames +500**_

The additional light illuminated a path leading deeper into the cave and Jon noticed torches lighting along the walls of the cave moving away from his position and further into the depths of the cave.

Again, Jon elected to wait for his MP to regenerate before following the now illuminated path with Ghost following dutifully behind him at a reserved pace. The two made their way from the entryway to the first cavernous room and they were immediately greeted with a rumbling sound followed by four solid crashes. Jon's head swiveled to find the sound of the disturbance and he found four zombified corpses pulling themselves from standing caskets on the wall with the entrance that Jon and Ghost had just used to enter the room.

Ghost jumped behind Jon as Jon brought his sword to bear.

"Ghost, stay back," Jon commanded. "If I get manage to get them down to the ground then you can finish them off."

Ghost seemed to understand Jon's words as he backed further away to allow Jon to deal with the approaching enemies. Their ghoulish figures had been distorted by time but they still towered over Jon and were carrying swords that reflected the dancing firelight.

Jon had gained much experience with live combat since exploring his fist cave but he was still playing it cautious. Even though he would be healed completely once he slept for the night, it would not be conducive to the continued exploration of the cave to get injured so early in the exploration.

Jon moved toward the right and used his momentum to increase the velocity of his one handed slash that sent the zombiefied head rolling on the floor while causing the body to collapse in a heap like a puppet whose strings have been cut.

Immediately, his head swiveled to the left and he caught the sight of the nearest zombie raising its sword with its right arm. The sword crashed down but Jon was able side step easily before he kicked the back of the zombie's left foot causing it to lose its balance and fall to the ground. Jon stepped over the fallen zombie and stabbed his sword into its chest before launching toward the zombie that was slowly making its way toward him.

This zombie followed the same attack pattern as its brethren and raised its arm for a powerful downward swing. Jon feinted as if he was going to step forward and the zombie launched his attack where Jon would have stepped if his momentum was to be trusted.

However, Jon stopped short and waited for the sword to crash into the ground before lunging towards the Zombie and piercing it with a two-handed thrust. The large warrior fell to a knee as Jon pulled his sword from its in time to swing it in a wide arc that diverted the vertical strike from the fourth warrior,

"Get him, Ghost," Jon directed while pointing to the zombie who had taken a knee then bringing his sword around to slash the remaining opponent from hip to shoulder with a mighty diagonal slash. As the zombie fell to its knee Jon reversed his momentum and launched a backhand swing across his body to remove the head from the downed opponent and make it drop.

At that point, Jon turned back to the opponent that he had sent to its knee and saw that Ghost had managed to clamp his jaws around its neck and bring it to the ground. After several powerful tugs to each side, Ghost was able to rip the zombie's throat out causing it to fall still.

Jon collected the four swords that had been dropped by the zombies of the first men in addition to a small number of copper and silver coins.

 _ **One-Handed +300  
Two-Handed +200  
Speech +100  
Blocking +100**_

Although none of the zombies had any additional items besides the swords, Jon had noticed a chest pushed against the wall to the left of the chamber that had brought him and Ghost into the room initially. He walked over to the chest and noticed that it was sealed with a sturdy looking lock.

Though Jon was relatively sure that he would be able to shatter the lock with his increased strength and his level sword skill, his One-Handed combat, he knew that would not always be the case and he wanted to take the opportunity to raise the level of his Lock Picking skill. He got out his one of the lock picks that Ygritte had given him in the last cave and began the process of triggering each of the lock's tumblers. Fortunately, Jon was able to trigger each of the three triggers without incident and was turning the lock within 45 seconds of starting the process.

His luck held and he was able to release the lock without incident. With the lock released, Jon was able to pull it open and slide it from the metal rungs that it had previously locked together. Smiling, he pulled on the lid to open the chest and view the treasure within.

 _ **Lock Picking +100**_

Contained within was something that made Jon smirk with content. Within the trunk, Jon found a steel mace. He pulled the weapon from its container with his left hand and gave it a few experimental swings. He immediately felt the difference that the increased weight at the end of the weapon caused in his swing. Though he was sure that this reduction in speed would be accompanied by additional damage, if he were able to land a blow with the weapon, Jon chose to stow it in his inventory.

When he did so, he saw the weapon's stats and was pleased that his conclusions were correct.

 _ **Steel Mace: +14 attack. Though the mace is the slowest of all the one handed weapons, it can also cause much more damage than other similar weapons if you manage to land a blow on your opponent. This weapon most compliments a warrior with great physical strength who can overcome the natural limitation caused by the increased weight of the weapon.**_

Seeing that there was nothing else in the chest, Jon stared making his way to the other side of the cavernous chamber with a door -sized passage that would, presumably, lead him deeper into the depths of the cave.

Ghost diligently followed his master and the pair left the chamber and the four dispatched enemies behind them. The passage had an earthy smell that Jon had come to associate with the under layers of the world and had many more mushrooms growing than any of the other such passages that he had traveled previously.

After the time that he had spent with Maester Luwin learning about the various alchemical properties of mushrooms, Jon was sure to collect the various fungi that he encountered while exploring. By the time he reached the end of the passage and the next cavernous room, Jon had successfully collected a variety of mushrooms.

 _ **Bleeding Mushroom (14)  
Creep Cluster (12)  
Imp Stool (17)  
White Cap (12)**_

 _If not for not wanting to have to explain how or where I found these ingredients, I could use them to craft many potions._ Jon thought while he scanned the cavern he had entered. _Maester Luwin would definitely want to know where I had found such a large amount of the mushrooms if I was to ask him to use his Alchemy Laboratory to get the true value from the ingredients. Thoughts for another time though, this room is different from the others that I have encountered so far._

Indeed, it was different from the other caverns that Jon had encountered in his journeys so far. Though there were no zombified corpses of the First Men breaking free from what should have been their eternal resting places, there were four doors on the opposite wall. The first door was painted with what appeared to be a snowflake with a large crystal nested in the center and did not appear to have any conventional handle. The second was very similar except, where the first had a painted snow flake, it was painted with a ball of fire. The third was identical to its predecessors but for the painting of a bolt of lightning. Unlike the others, the final door was completely devoid of any decoration or but it was similar in the fact that it lacked any form of handle.

Jon stepped forward to get a better look at each of the doors starting at the right and found that his initial observation was correct, there did not appear to be any way to open them. Growing frustrated with the apparent dead end, Jon slammed his hand against the door with the snowflake, causing a dull thud to reverberate throughout the chamber.

 _That didn't do anything._ Jon thought to himself. _The only reason that I was able to find this cave is because of magic, I wonder if that may be the answer to this puzzle._

Jon felt the cold resolution flow through his body as he stepped back and raised his left arm at the door.

"Frost!"

* * *

 **AN2: That was it, the newest update. All stats are listed on my profile, if you want to check the out. If you enjoyed, let me know what you liked. I am having trouble transitioning from grinding Jon to plot moving Jon but feel that the elemental rooms will be much easier to write than this chapter with the way that the metaphorical door has been left open with this chapter. Either way, I do intend to keep the updates coming for those of you that stick with me. :-)**


	13. SR013

**AN: The chapter is a bit shorter than I initially intended but the time between chapters was reduced pretty substantially. I'm aiming to have chapters around this length pretty much weekly from here on out, we'll see how that goes. Heads up, Jon's stats as of chapter end are always available on my profile and I usually post them the day before I update the story, if you want a pretty sure way to figure out when a new chapter is coming. Anyway, enjoy. Special thanks to Reviewer543 for an idea that will help shape quite a few of Jon's future interactions.**

* * *

Jon felt the cold resolution flow through his body as he stepped back and raised his left arm at the door.

"Frost!"

The frost crystals that the spell summoned formed in front of Jon's hand but he abruptly cut the flow of magic when the Stargaryan Ring began to vibrate and a warning appeared in a pane floating in front of the door.

 _ **Warning! The object that you are about to attack has a significant magical presence that requires he who gazes upon it to make a choice on pain of death. An ancient enchantment has been placed that can shape the world around you if it is activated. Currently, magical aptitude has all but vanished from the world. By launching an elemental spell that corresponds with the image depicted on the object, you will cause a chain of events that unlocks the latent magic in all individuals who have even the smallest affinity for that element. Though their affinity would be unlocked, yours would be without equal with the affinity boosted to legendary status and the skill level increased to 100. This spell was designed with four focal points, the three main elements and a fourth item that represents magic in its entirety. If you cast magic in its base form at the fourth focal points, it will unlock the main elemental affinity for everyone regardless of the element and it may trigger substantial physical changes to those with particular affinities toward one branch of magic. Though you would not be without peer if you choose this option, you would have access to each of the three destructive elements and gain the ability to manipulate magic in its base form. Take care when making your choice.**_

 _ **Quest Alert! Arcane Arts  
Make the tough decision. Choose to either master one branch of destruction magic while unlocking magic for people with that elemental affinity or choose to expand on your elemental knowledge and unlock the destructive potential of the world.  
Rewards for completion: Mastery of one branch of elemental magic and increased influence with those who share that elemental affinity or unlock Magical Manipulation, 75,000 experience toward Magical Manipulation and spread magic to the world.  
Penalty for failure: Death**_

 _This is unreal!_ Jon thought as he read the warning again. _First I learn that magic is real and now I have the choice of unlocking magic for everyone else in Westeros?! How can I make such a decision? After all of the reading that I had to do for the Learning with Luwin quest, I know that it would be extremely dangerous to give one group or region such power if their neighbors' powers were not similarly increased. When the Targaryens had their dragons, they were able to use the power to conquer all of Westeros. Giving one group magic would upset the balance of power just as surely as dragons did in the past._

Jon lowered his hand as he started pacing. _He who gazes upon it must make a decision on pain of death. Why me? How could I be responsible for making such a decision?_

Jon ran a hand through his hair as he continued his pacing and looked to Ghost who had sat on his haunches at the entrance to the room and was watching as Jon moved back and forth in front of the four doors on the other side of the room. "What should I do boy?"

Ghost cocked is head to the side but otherwise did not respond.

"Right, you can't talk."

Jon's pacing brought him to the door with the snowflake. "Alright, it would make sense for people who live in the North and regions that have harsh winters to have the highest number of people with frost affinities. If I was to unlock frost magic, it seems likely that the North would benefit most from the newly unlocked magic. With a warden like Ned Stark, it seems like it would be the safest bet if I have to choose to give one region magic instead of the others."

Jon moved to his right to stand in front of the door with the painting of a fireball. "It seems unlikely that there would be many people with fire affinities in the North. If I had to guess, I would bet that regions that are usually very hot would have the most fire affinities since they would be used to dealing with heat. I would expect Dorne and many of the other Southern areas to have fire affinities."

He moved to the door with the painting of the lightning bolt and started pondering. "It would make sense that the Stormlands would be more used to dealing with lightning from storms than other regions. Besides that area, I suppose coastal cities would have the most experience dealing with storms."

Jon moved back to stand in front of the door with the snowflake. "If I had to pick one region to get magic, I would have to give magic to the North. Not doing so could give power that could use the new power to attack the people of the North which would not be acceptable."

That thought led to Jon walking to the fourth door that was free of any decoration. "On the other hand, by unlocking everyone's potential for magic I would also gain a new form of magic to use. Would giving magic to the rest of the world be the best thing to do in this situation? Is learning a new type of magic worth the potential dangers of giving that type of power to the world?"

Jon slowly walked back to the door with the snowflake and continued his musings. "Maybe it would be better for me to make the decision that would make me the most powerful magician possible. Then again, with how I can level my skills, I could probably eventually reach that level through training. Though I don't have a clue how I would make a skill legendary."

Jon accessed the Stargaryan menu to see if he could find anything on making his skills legendary.

 _ **Jon Snow Level 19: 2,180,749/2,391,205**_

 _ **S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Perks**_

 _ **Strength: 6  
Perception: 6  
**_ _Sixth Sense – The ability to read body language and situations allowing you to predict the most likely future outcome. What you choose to make of the information acquired by this perk is up to you._ _ **  
Endurance: 6  
Charisma: 4  
**_ _Situational Awareness – Basic understanding of how to compose yourself in a given situation to help obtain your desired results_ _ **  
Intelligence: 6  
**_ _Deeper Understanding – Get the most out of the books that you read. You can now find more insights in the books that you read._ _ **  
**_ _Read-Absorb –Absorb the content of a book to increase your knowledge of its subject. Time taken for successful absorption is equal to the amount of time it would take to naturally read the book.  
Read-Experience – Experience the content of a book. Choosing this method will provide a much more comprehensive of the contents of a book._ _ **  
Agility: 5  
Luck: 4**_

 _ **Vitals**_

 _ **HP: 200/200  
SP: 300/300  
MP: 100/100**_

 _ **Skills**_

 _ **Archery 11 (197,100/205,500)  
Overdraw 2: **__Bows do 30% more damage.  
_ _ **Tracking Shot:**_ _Anticipate the way your opponent will move and adjust your aim accordingly. Shots to the head do three times more damage than regular shots. Chance for instant kill based on level of opponent relative to level of Archery skill._

 _ **Blocking 11 (115,700/205,500)  
Fundamental Defense: **__Blocks prevent 20% more damage_

 _ **Evasion 14 (499,350/552,550)  
Evasive Tactics: **__30% more likely to evade enemy attacks_

 _ **Light Armor 9 (499,350/535,500)  
Agile Defender: **__20% less damage taken when wearing Light Armor_

 _ **Heavy Armor**_

 _ **One-handed 16 (732,650/846,036)  
Armsman: **__One-Handed weapons do 20% more damage._ _ **  
Dual-wield:**_ _Use one handed weapons with equal proficiency with either or both hands._

 _ **Two-Handed 10 (54,067/102,400)  
Barbarian: **__Two-Handed weapons do 20% more damage._

 _ **Lock Picking 7 (10,500/12,800)**_

 _ **Pickpocket**_

 _ **Sneak 8 (14,080/25,600)  
Stealth: **__You are 20% harder to detect when sneaking._

 _ **Speech 8 (19,351/25,600)  
Taunt: **__Words have power. With your words you can cause people to act out of character often forcing errors and lapses of judgment. 30% chance of success against those with lower levels; effective reduced by 1% per level for targets with higher levels._ _ **  
Negotiation:**_ _20% more likely to reach a compromise  
_ _ **Command:**_ _The ability to give instruction and the likelihood that those instructions will be followed. The likelihood of a command's success depends upon the level of the one giving and the level of the one receiving the command, reputation and other variables._

 _ **Alchemy 8 (16,667/25,600)  
Alchemist: **__Brewed potions and poisons are 20% more effective._ _ **  
Potioneer's Instinct:**_ _Tasting ingredients will unlock their properties for use in poison and potion making._

 _ **Smithing 8 (18,000/25,600)  
Apprentice Smithing: **__Craft beginner weapons and armor that are 10% more effective than standard weapons and armor.  
_ _ **Leather Working:**_ _Craft and improve leather apparel and armor twice as much_

 _ **Enchanting 3 (500/800)**_

 _ **Destruction 10 (80,700/102,400)  
Fireball 4 – Intermediate (1,500/1,600): **__Destruction magic that allows the user to shoot balls of fire from their hands. Cost: 50 MP. Damage: 40 HP (Strong likelihood of causing burn)._ _ **  
Flames 3 – Basic (500/800):**_ _Destruction magic that allows the user to shoot a torrent of fire from their hands. Cost 8 MP per second. Damage: 5 HP per second (Low likelihood of causing burn)._ _ **  
Frost 5 – Basic (2,200/3,200):**_ _Destruction magic that allows the user to shoot frost crystals from their hands in an arc that can hit multiple enemies at the same time. Currently shoots three snowflakes. Cost 10 MP. Damage: 5 HP per frost crystal (Low likelihood of freezing opponent)._ _ **  
Sparks 4 – Basic (1,000/1,600):**_ _Destruction magic that will call down the power of lightning from the sky that will home in on an opponent within 15 feet of the caster and strike without fail. Cost: 16 MP. Damage: 12 HP._

 _ **Conjuration 3 (500/800)**_

 _ **Alteration 3 (500/800)**_

 _ **Illusion 4 (1,500/1,600)**_

 _ **Restoration 3 (500/800)**_

 _ **Inventory**_

 **Weapons**  
Ancient Greatsword of the First Men +15 Attack  
Ancient Sword of the First Men +8 Attack (9)  
Ancient Sword of the First Men (Honed) +13 Attack  
Castle-Forged Steel Sword +12 Attack  
Hawksflight Bow +20 Attack  
Long Bow +8 Attack  
Steel Arrows +10 Attack (27)  
Steel Mace: +14 attack. Though the mace is the slowest of all the one handed weapons, it can also cause much more damage than other similar weapons if you manage to land a blow on your opponent. This weapon most compliments a warrior with great physical strength who can overcome the natural limitation caused by the increased weight of the weapon.

 **Apparel  
** Ancient Shield of the First Men +11 Defense (4)  
Bearskin Leather Cuisse +10 Defense  
Bearskin Leather Greaves +10 Defense  
Bearskin Pauldrons +10 Defense  
Black Cloak +1 Defense  
Black Leather Belt +1 Defense  
Black Leather Boots +1 Defense  
Black Pants +1 Defense  
Black Tunic +1 Defense (Damaged, -1 Defense)  
Blackflame Cape of Wanton Destruction: +30 defense, +50% resistance to fire, -50% cost to fire-based attacks, +30% resistance to physical attacks and projectiles  
Leather Gauntlets of Vigor +3 Strength+50 SP  
Shield of House Stark +15 Defense  
Silver Ring  
Stargaryan Ring: _This ring was ? to activate when slipped on the finger of the intended wielder. When activated, the Stargaryan Ring will provide an accurate assessment of his/her abilities among other things. The perks that the ring grants to its wielder will allow much faster skill growth than unmeasured leveling that occurs as a result of the typical human experience. The full potential of the ring has not yet been realized by the current wielder. Only the wielder of the Ring can see it once it has been activated.  
_ Winterfell Captain's Jerkin: A black leather jerkin lined with a layer of chainmail that has been embroidered with the direwolf sigil of House Stark. It is an upper body armor that provides increased protection to the wearer. +20 Defense

 **Potions**  
N/A

 **Ingredients  
** Bleeding Mushroom (14)  
Creep Cluster (12)  
Imp Stool (17)  
Skeever Tail (14)  
White Cap (12)

 **Food**  
N/A

 **Books  
**  
 **Misc.**  
Bear Claws (60)  
Bear Teeth (90)  
Bearskin  
Coin - Bronze (12)  
Coin - Gold (54)  
Coin - Silver (10)  
Ivory Tusks (2)  
Lock Pick (10)  
Mysterious Black Treasure of Qarth  
Pork (6)  
Ruby  
Torch (Lit)  
Torchlength Wood (5)  
Wolf Pelt (9)  
Wolf Teeth (48)

After searching through all of his information, Jon was not able to find anything about what he would have to do to raise a skill to the legendary rank.

On a whim, he decided to try a different tactic and grabbed a hold of the Stargaryan Ring with his left hand squeezed tightly while saying, very clearly, "Legendary skills."

 _ **Legendary Skills: One can choose to upgrade a skill to legendary status once the skill has reached level 100. Once a skill is made legendary, the level will be reset to 15 and the leveling process will begin again. A legendary skill at level 15 will be exactly equal to a normal skill at level 100. Increasing the level from that point will make the skill superior to its common counterpart.**_

 _Right now my highest skill is my One-Handed swordsmanship but, even with 732,650 experience, it is only level 16. It will take forever to reach level 100, let alone reach level 100 then get the 85 additional levels that would be needed to get the legendary skills to level 100._ Jon thought as he paced back to the door without any painting. _Still, I have made some pretty vast improvements in my skills since getting the Stargaryan Ring and plan to continue raising my skill levels. Most people who are considered masters devote their entire lives to training and learning about their skill. Even if I don't get there immediately, I could eventually reach that level of mastery through training my skills._

 _Plus, even if my skill was improved to such an extent, it wouldn't be the same as it would be if I got there as a result of my hard work._ Jon's thoughts shifted back to the first time that he chose to absorb a book rather than experiencing its contents. _When I absorb a book, I get the main content but I miss out on a lot of the other experience that I would get if I chose to experience the book. This seems like a very similar situation. Even though I would like to reach that level, getting there and missing out on everything that makes a legendary skill worthwhile seems like a pretty bad decision._

"I have to make a decision or the warning made it clear that whatever magic was used to enchant these doors will kill me," Jon stated while walking back to the door that lacked any form of decoration. "I've made my decision. Now I just have to figure out how to cast magic in its base form at this door and then I go to Maester Luwin to figure out how to deal with magic spreading throughout the world."

 _Maybe if I get a better feel for calling on magic for elemental magic then I can figure out what I would need to do to cast a spell using magic in its base form._ Jon thought while channeling magic as if he was going to cast a fireball. From his experience when he canceled the frost spell, Jon knew that his MP would not drop unless he actually cast the spell.

The magic that created the fire magic felt like an insatiable hunger that wanted to consume all in its path. The ball of fire appeared in Jon's hand but did not race toward the door since he did not wish it to do so. With the fireball held steady, Jon tried to focus on the feeling of the magic itself but found himself getting distracted by its need to consume anything that dared to present itself as an obstacle to its need.

Jon canceled the spell and channeled magic for the Frost spell. Again, he felt the cold resolution course through his being that indicated that accompanied the frost spell but, unlike the last times he began to feel something else along with that cold determination. There it was, something else was there along with the frost magic. As Jon focused on that other presence, the frost crystals began to rotate in place in the air.

Feeling like he was making progress, Jon canceled the spell and channeled lightning for the Sparks spell. The lightning magic seemed to race through Jon's body. Like the fire magic, the lightning magic seemed annoyed that it couldn't lash out. It felt very impatient as if every second that passed without it accomplishing its mission was a minute wasted.

Again, Jon felt another presence along with the impatience of the lightning. The electricity that had coated his hand extended to form a pristine lightning bolt that would have been perfectly in place in a storm worthy of giving the Stormlands their name. The bolt lengthened and shortened as Jon focused on what must have been the feeling of magic itself.

Unable to focus with the impatience of the lightning magic, Jon canceled the spell. He took a deep breath and tried to focus on that feeling that he felt when he channeled the elemental magic. He realized that everything from the air that he was breathing to his body seemed to have its own presence and, if he focused, he could feel everything n what he estimated to be a twenty foot radius of his current position.

Intent on the magical radiation that the undecorated door was emitting, Jon willed it to open. Since nothing happened, he pushed more and more MP into trying to make the door open. The magic cost steadily rose; it reached 50 then 60 and increased all the way to 150 before a reverberating cracking sound similar to thunder echoed throughout the cave and seemed to increase in intensity before slowly fading to nothing.

The door opened and an intense flash of white light temporarily blinded Jon and he felt something rush into his chest and course through his body. Jon rubbed his eyes in an attempt to regain his sight and, after almost a minute had passed, he was pleased to see that the door was open. Turning to Ghost, Jon felt his jaw drop. Where the formerly small pup had been sitting was now a full grown Direwolf, easily as tall as Jon was standing while still sitting down.

"Ghost?" Jon asked with trepidation. "Is that you, boy?"

The direwolf seemed to notice Jon and immediately rose to a standing position before making his way to Jon. Though Jon was nervous about the new development, he stood his ground as the massive beast pushed its head against his chest as if to ask how something like this could have been possible.

"Magic," was the only way that Jon knew how to answer the unspoken question.

 _ **Quest Completed! Arcane Arts  
Make the tough decision. Choose to either master one branch of destruction magic while unlocking magic for people with that elemental affinity or choose to expand on your elemental knowledge and unlock the destructive potential of the world.  
Rewards for completion: Unlock Magical Manipulation, 75,000 experience toward Magical Manipulation and spread magic to the world.**_

 _ **Magic Manipulation Unlocked!  
Magic Manipulation: The ability to control the world as you see fit. The application of this skill is only limited by the creativity of the manipulator. If you can dream it, you can do it with Magic Manipulation.**_

 _ **Magic Manipulation +75,000  
Magic Manipulation Level 10 Bonus: Your increased magical aptitude has increased. Damage from Destruction magic doubled and spells' cost for basic level destruction reduced by half.  
Fireball + 1,000  
Frost +1,000  
Sparks +1,000**_

"By the Gods!" Jon exclaimed while reading the perk that was unlocked with the experience granted to Magical Manipulation. Jon started doing some basic math. "Flames will now only cost 4 MP per second and will deal 10 MP per second. Frost will now use 5 MP and will deal 10 damage per frost crystal. Sparks will require 8 MP to cast and will deal 24 damage. That is a very useful support skill to have."

Ghosts hackles raised and the now fully grown direwolf stood to his full height revealing him to be around the size of a small horse. The large animal stalked toward the door and snapped with his jaws, his blood red eyes seeming to see beyond the brilliant white that was still pulsing out though in at a much lower rate than the pulse that swept through earlier.

"What is it boy? There is nothing there."

Ghost was unmoved by Jon's words and remained agitated. The direwolf stomped the ground with his heavy paw and continued staring into the doorway, as if he was facing down an enemy.

"Did you forget how much bigger you are now, Ghost? Surely you aren't scared of what's beyond that door?"

Of course, Ghost did not answer. The direwolf gave Jon a look that clearly warned Jon against going into the room which Jon misinterpreted.

"Let's see exactly what this door is hiding." Jon said as he stepped through the door. When he crossed the magical barrier he faded from regular sight. However, Ghost could still see him and, with apparent reservation, he followed his master.

* * *

As soon as Jon stepped through the barrier, he noticed a ball of fire flying towards him. Acting on instinct, he raised his sword causing a message to appear before him.

 _ **The level of this Fireball spell level is less than the level of your Magical Manipulation. For 5 MP you can create a Magic Ward that will negate any damage from being taken from this spell. For 10 MP you can create a Reflective Magic Ward that will reflect the spell back upon the caster.**_

 _ **Use 5 MP for Magic Ward?**_

 _ **Use 10 MP for Reflective Magic Ward?**_

 _ **Forego Magic Ward and take damage from the spell?**_

"Reflective Magic Ward" Jon shouted causing his sword to glow a bluish hue just as the fireball reached him. Following his instinct, Jon slashed with his sword causing the fireball to speed back in the other direction at an even faster pace.

 _ **One-Handed +500  
Restoration + 500  
Learned Magic Ward! There are two varieties of the basic Magic Ward. For 5 MP you can create a Magic Ward that will negate any damage from being taken from this spell. For 10 MP you can create a Reflective Magic Ward that will reflect the spell back upon the caster. Due to your high sword skills, either variety can be applied to your blade which you can then use to negate damage from spells.**_

As interesting as Jon found the new skill, he knew that the middle of a battle was not the time to admire his new skill. Instead he charged in the direction that the fireball had come and saw a tall man with sallow skin, lank, greasy black hair, a flowing black robe and a billowing cloak clutching his side and wincing in pain. Since the man had fired a fireball at Jon, the young warrior did not hesitate to dispatch him quickly with three swings of his sword.

 _ **One-Handed +300  
Apprentice Robes of Destruction: Damage from Destruction magic doubled and spells' cost for basic level destruction reduced by half; magic regeneration rate doubled.  
Petty Soul Gem  
Gold Necklace**_

After collecting the loot, Jon quickly put the Apprentice Robes of Destruction on over the pieces of his leather armor. Seeing the opportunity for experience, Jon quickly removed another Sword of the first men from his inventory and equipped it in his left hand. Jon looked around, taking in his surroundings for the first time and found that he was standing in the middle of a forest with a light snow upon the ground.

"There shouldn't be snow at this time of the year." Jon reasoned while thinking of the books that Maester Luwin had made him read. "Despite the Stark words that Winter is Coming, I have never seen true winter. The snowfalls that I've seen are nothing when compared to when Snow piles 20 feet high in the Long Winter and old men are bound by duty and honor to leave their homes and families so that the young may survive."

Ghost nudged Jon and caused the young warrior to take a step quickly to regain his balance, not expecting Ghost's enhanced strength.

"Wherever I am, I will have to be on my guard if I want to make it back to Winterfell in one piece."

 _ **Quest Alert! Return to Winterfell  
Main Objective: Make it back to Winterfell within two months.  
Secondary Objective: Raise Conjuration, Alteration, Illusion and Restoration skills to level 10.  
Tertiary Objective: Reach level 25 by the time that you reach Winterfell's gates  
Rewards for Main Objective: 1,000,000 Experience. 500 gold. Permission to leave Winterfell and explore the world to your heart's content. Arrive in time to save ?.  
Rewards for Secondary Objective: Save ? from a life as a cripple. Unlock ? quest.  
Rewards for Tertiary Objective: Physical Evolution will occur earlier than normal, granting you increased likelihood of survival in your trials to come along with many other benefits.**_

While Jon was mystified by the fact that he had been transported from a simple cave to, it was the Return to Winterfell quest that caused his mouth to drop. Was someone at Winterfell in danger? How could he make it back in time when he didn't even know where he was?

Snapping out of his momentary stupor, Jon accepted the quest and, remembering the time he spent in Maester Luwin's chambers, looked in the sky to find the position of the sun. Maester Luwin had taught him how to figure out his direction based on the sun's movement in the sky but the method took time. Noting the position of the celestial body, Jon's gaze returned to the forest as he attempted to locate a place that would be easy to defend if it came to that while he got his bearing on his position.

It was apparently too cold for birds in these parts, so the forest was mostly quiet with the exception of the ruffling of tree leaves in the wind. At least that is what Jon thought until a stray breeze brought with it a very faint sound that Jon hoped to be rushing water. Even though water would also draw creatures, Jon hoped that it would also provide him with a measure of safety by acting as a natural border to prevent enemies from surprising him and attacking from behind.

Jon moved in the direction of the breeze and after 100 paces he was gratified that the faint sound of what must be water could be heard in the distance. He kept walking in that direction while periodically looking at the sun to gauge the direction of its movement. He had walked almost a league from his initial position before the sound intensified and Jon was able to verify, without a doubt, that it was coming from water.

While Jon was contemplating whether the sound was coming from a rushing river or some variety of waterfall, Jon received a notification.

 _ **Warning: You are about to enter the spawn zone, Forbidden Forrest: White Tree. In Forbidden Forrest: White Tree, you will encounter various creatures and natives capable of causing immense physical damage. The unwary traveler will find himself falling prey to the natives and numerous predators, large and small, that claim Forbidden Forrest: White Tree as their home. It is recommended that characters below level 20 travel in parties to better combat the various enemies that will be encountered.**_

 _Great,_ Jon thought to himself. _I walk through a doorway and somehow find myself in the Forbidden Forrest. Wait, White Tree, I remember reading of this place during the Learning with Luwin quest. White Tree is on the Eastern edge of the Forbidden Forrest about a week away from the Shadow tower of the Nights Watch._

The knowledge was bittersweet for Jon. Though he now had a good idea of where he was, that knowledge also meant that he was north of the Wall and a great many leagues from the place that he called home. However, knowing that he was still in Westeros, he did not need to wait for the sun to pass to determine which direction would take him south and back to his home.

Now getting to the water was more important than ever as Jon remembered a crudely drawn map with a river leading straight to Shadow Tower. If this was that river, then he would have a relatively unobstructed path through the harsh wilds beyond the Wall.

As Jon continued on his path, he stopped suddenly as he heard a rumbling from the foliage ahead of him. To his surprise, instead of a wolf, Jon found the source of the noise to be a group of seven bearlike creatures wearing helmets and leather armor with weapons varying from two-handed broadswords to axes to maces.

The first to notice Jon gave a fierce cry before leaping high in the air with its mace brought above its head to deal a crushing blow upon it's decent. Jon took a step backwards and inadvertently channeled MP into his sword to create a reflective ward before sweeping his sword up to meet the attack in midair.

The creature's momentum was stopped and it seemed to freeze momentarily with its mace forced above its head leaving it wide open for an attack. Jon took full advantage and gave a mighty backhand slash with the sword held in this right hand that left a gash in the creature's leather armor, a downwards diagonal slash with his left hand that brought his sword to his hip, a slash with the sword in his right hand that mirrored what he had just done with the sword in his left to bring his sword down to his left hip. Finally, he stabbed upwards into the chest of the creature causing it to fall to the ground.

In the five seconds that had elapsed since the creature had jumped, Ghost had sprung into motion. The fully grown direwolf bowled over the rest of the creatures and clamped his jaws around the throat of one of them, shaking his head back and forth as if it was a rabbit that he had trapped in his sharp teeth.

Jon raced forward to take advantage of his downed enemies. While they were on the ground, he let loose a barrage of sweeping strikes and managed to take out three of them before the other two were able to regain their footing.

Ghost barreled into one of the remaining two creatures and pushed it away from Jon. The last of the creatures swung its menacing broadsword behind it, as if winding up for an attack. Again, Jon coated his blades with the reflective ward and waited for his opponent to strike. The strike was easy for Jon to follow and the resulting parry swept the creature's broad sword to the side causing the creature's back to face Jon as its momentum turned it 180 degrees.

Jon slashed inwards with both of his blades and beheaded the monstrous creature. Knowing that one remained, Jon turned to Ghost to find him giving the creature the same shaking treatment that he had given its pack member and breaking its neck violently shaking his head while his jaws were clamped on the creature's throat.

 _ **Enemy Experience +50,000  
One- Handed +3,500  
Restoration +1,000**_

Jon was practically salivating as he saw how much experience he had gained by defeating the creatures. Still he knew that he had to collect the loot that they dropped.

 _ **Kobold Leather Helmet +15 Defense (7)  
Kobold Leather Armor +16 Defense (7)  
Kobold Iron Broadsword +17 Attack (2)  
Kobold Iron Axe +14 Attack (3)  
Kobold Iron Mace +15 Attack (2)**_

After storing the items in his inventory, Jon motioned for Ghost to follow him as they continued toward the trek towards the river. Fortunately, they were able to make it the final league without incident. Unfortunately, their streak of good luck was broken when they reached their destination.

* * *

 **AN2: So it was against his will, and my new plot outline, but Jon has finally left Winterfell. I am pleased how this development was able to tie in to potential catastrophe at Winterfell. Please let me know your thoughts on the chapter. The reviews definitely help keep the motivation up for new content.**


	14. SR014

**AN: Special thanks to Reviewer543 for the help on the chapter. Not only did he help me map the chapter initially but he also gave me feedback on different scenes and helped make the story flow much better than it could have without his help. I feel that many of the pain points from last chapter are addressed in this chapter. Anyway, read and let me know if you enjoyed by reviewing.**

* * *

Fortunately, Jon and Ghost were able to make it the final league to the river without incident. Unfortunately, their streak of good luck was broken when they reached their destination. Coiled, floating on top of the river was a giant, blue and white snakelike creature with frost blue eyes that seemed to be following Jon and Ghost's every movement.

 ** _Quest Alert!  
Subduing the Serpent: Saphiron, the sea serpent, is an ancient creature that has long lain dormant at the bottom of the seas in the coldest part of the world. He has woken due to a recent resurgence of magic in the world and will do everything in his power to bring an eternal winter where his power would be irresistible. Defeat this monster before his plan can come to fruition.  
Rewards for completion: Sea Serpent Scaled Boots of Winter. +30 Defense. +50% resistance to frost, -50% cost to ice-based attacks, MP doubled.  
Penalty for failure: Saphiron will find others sympathetic to his goal of bringing an eternal winter to the world. Eventually all will fall and winter will exist without end._**

Jon quickly accepted the quest and considered the enemy for a second before opening his inventory and taking a second to rearrange his armor. He didn't make any changes to his legs but he adjusted his upper body so the Apprentice Robes of Destruction were under his Winterfell Captain's Jerkin and the Blackflame Cape of Wanton Destruction was draped across his shoulders. Though the change was subtle, adding the Blackflame Cape of Wanton Destruction granted some serious status buffs: +30 defense, +50% resistance to fire, -50% cost to fire-based attacks, +30% resistance to physical attacks and projectiles.

Since the monster was floating on the water, Jon knew that he wouldn't be able to attack with his swords unless the monster made its way to the shore. So instead of rushing the beast with swords drawn, he pulled the Hawksflight bow along with his quiver of steel arrows from his inventory.

He knocked an arrow and pulled back on the drawstring with his full strength. Before he was able to fire the arrow, the sea serpent roared and a barrage of icicles was launched at Jon's position causing him to relax his draw as he leapt to the side, clear of the projectiles.

Upon landing, Jon quickly drew and fired an arrow at the snake. Though his shot was true and the arrow struck the serpent squarely on the snout, the scales that covered the creature's body were much too thick to allow the arrow to penetrate. The sea snake took Jon's ineffectual attack as a signal to launch its own attack in the form of a chilling blast of frost that shot from its mouth as one would expect fire from a dragon. Again, Jon's body moved instinctively and he was able to avoid the breath attack.

The glacial blast seemed to suck all warmth from the air, making Jon much colder than he expected to be on such a sunny day. On the ground that had been touched by the frost breath, there were large frost crystals sparkling in the sunlight.

Jon drew another arrow while thinking of his desire to be warm. As he pulled back the drawstring and released, the head of the arrow was enveloped by a layer of fire. Again Jon's aim was true but, this time, the flaming arrow pierced right through the sea snake's scales on it snout. The successful attack caused the massive serpent to rear back, writhing in pain, coiling and uncoiling its massive body apparently indignant that such a puny opponent could cause it to experience such pain.

While the snake thrashed about on the water's surface, Jon readied another arrow and tried to channel fire magic directly into the arrow head before letting the arrow fly. Unlike before, the entire shaft of the arrow in addition to the head seemed to become a tightly rotating cylinder of fire when it was free of the bowstring.

The magically augmented arrow flew through the air and plunged into the side of the great beast despite the protective layer of scales meant to protect it from attacks. Again, the snake thrashed about with the onset of the physical pain and, this time, it locked its eyes on the source of its discomfort. Opening its mouth wide, it roared out in challenge and fired a barrage of wickedly sharp looking icicles at Jon, causing the young warrior to dodge lest he be impaled by one of the spear length pieces of ice.

Though it was close, Jon managed to dodge all of the projectiles and let loose a series of three flaming arrows all of which found purchase and lodged into the body of the angry serpent. It seemed that something changed within the serpent as it did not trash about when the arrows sunk into its flash. Instead it threw its head back and roared, causing a light snow to begin to fall as clouds converged above the battle field.

Slithering much faster than its size would suggest it capable of moving, the serpent abandoned its position atop the water to and began to actively pursue the fool that had dared to attack it when it was sitting on its magical throne.

Jon managed to shoot one more flaming arrow at the serpent before storing the Hawksflight bow in his inventory and equipping an Ancient Sword of the First Men in each of his hands.

Since the flames allowed Jon's arrows to penetrate the serpent's thick scales, Jon channeled fire magic into the swords causing an orange-ish glow to appear around the blades. Within seconds of storing the bow and equipping the swords, the large serpent had traversed the distance between Jon and its initial position.

The blades seemed to burst into flame with each strike that Jon landed against the vicious serpent. Though the sword strike combo seemed to be effectively whittling away at the serpent's health, Jon noticed that the swords seemed to be failing between the combination of the magic that Jon was channeling into them and the serpent's sturdy scales.

Assuming that the swords would not be usable after the battle, Jon stabbed the swords into the monster's side with all of his might causing them to plunge into the serpent's body with little resistance due to the fire magic. Instead of canceling the flow of magic, Jon channeled more MP into the blades until the handles started to shake violently at which point he gave a final magical push before jumping backwards to put some distance between him and the beast.

The massive serpent gave chase briefly before a pair of explosions sounded from the side of the snake causing the serpent to fall heavily to its side with its own blood dripping from its mouth as it coughed and attempted to move its body to pursue the being that had caused it such tremendous agony.

Fortunately for Jon, the serpent's mobility had been seriously reduced due to the massive damage caused by the swords magically exploding in its side moments before. It was able to raise its head but it was not able to move from its position on the ground.

Jon withdrew another pair of Ancient Swords of the First Men from his inventory before cautiously advancing on his injured opponent. The snow was now falling harder and the air currents around the creature became much more intense, causing Jon to struggle to advance upon the wounded beast.

Still, Jon pushed on while channeling flame magic into his blades. Hearing a roar, Jon looked up and saw the Serpent towering above him with a wild and enraged look in its eyes as it plunged down with its mouth gaping, intent on turning Jon into his next meal. While Jon was able to jump backward, he was not quite able to escape the attack as two fangs managed to slice through his right eyebrow, just missing his eye before continuing to cut halfway through his cheek before the momentum from his leap took him out of the range of the attack.

Due to the sudden pain, Jon lost his footing and landed on his butt before rolling backward and regaining his feet before wiping at his wound with the back of his leather gauntlet. Unwilling to let the wounded beast get the best of him again despite the lethargy setting into his body, Jon readied his blades and locked his eyes on the silhouette of his adversary before charging.

Jon channeled magic and created a magic ward to protect him from the heavy snow and harsh wind while allowing him to close the distance between him and the injured serpent. Jon sent is magic into the sword in his left hand, causing it to glow a now familiar orange color with the flame magic. Like he did with the swords that he stabbed into the serpent to cause the first major injury to the creature, he did not stop when the blade and hilt started to vibrate. Instead, he took the vibration as a queue to whip his arm forward to send the sword that had been overcharged with magic at the serpent.

The sword flew through the air without any rotation, cutting through the intense wintry conditions that were intensifying around Saphiron. The sword breached the serpent's scales and glowed for a second before a reverberating explosion sounded through the clearing as the serpent collapsed.

After throwing the sword, Jon raced after his weapon, intent on taking advantage of any opening that may present itself. He reached the serpent shortly after it had collapsed and channeled his magic into his remaining sword causing it to vibrate before stabbing the weapon into Saphiron's skull before taking a few large steps backwards to make sure he was clear from the potential blast radius.

With the explosion that resulted, Jon received a notification.

 ** _Quest Completed!  
Subduing the Serpent: Saphiron, the sea serpent, is an ancient creature that has long lain dormant at the bottom of the seas in the coldest part of the world. He has woken due to a recent resurgence of magic in the world and will do everything in his power to bring an eternal winter where his power would be irresistible. Defeat this monster before his plan can come to fruition.  
Rewards for completion: Sea Serpent Scaled Boots of Winter. +30 Defense. +50% resistance to frost, -50% cost to ice-based attacks, MP doubled._**

 ** _Archery +3,200  
Magical Manipulation +12,500  
Flames +11,000  
One-Handed +8,000  
Light Armor +500  
Magic Ward +500_**

 _By the gods, the Sea Serpent Scaled Bots of Winter are as effective as the Blackflame Cape of Wanton Destruction._ Jon thought while admiring the boots that seemed to be made from Saphiron's scales. _These need to be used immediately instead of spending time in my Inventory._

Jon equipped the boots and immediately felt a wave of magic race through his body as his MP was doubled by the magic of the boots. However, as the adrenaline of the battle started to leave his system, the throb of his wound and lethargy that he had been experiencing after being raked by Saphiron's fangs seemed to become more and more intense. As his vision started to fade, Jon collected the other loot that Saphiron had dropped not caring to look at the descriptions of the items. Bones, scales and teeth were just deposited into his inventory as his world faded to black.

* * *

As Jon's vision faded to black, he found himself thinking of home. Black gave way from the remains of the now dead serpent Saphiron back to the castle of Winterfell. His vision shifted to his father, leaning over the table, in his study.

"The king and his men are only three weeks away. I cannot afford to send a garrison of men to search for Jon if Winterfell is to be ready for the king's arrival. Why would he boy disappear at such a time as this? I told him that the king was set to arrive."

His lady wife moved to stand behind him and slide her hand from his elbow to the back of the hand rested on the table before she responded. "The boy's actions are not wholly unexpected. He has always been so prone to sulking about the castle with that sullen look about him. Maybe he does not wish to be found."

"I know you have no love for the boy, Catelyn, but, for my sake, do not assert that he would abandon Winterfell and his family without as much as a word."

"He only has one who he should consider family here," Catelyn bristled. "Is it not better for the Stark children to be rid of such a nuisance?"

Now it was Ned's turn to bristle in his irritation. "Jon has been doing an admirable job of proving himself as a man. Ser Rodrick has given nothing but praise since I instructed him to take over Jon's education. At the very least, he will make a splendid captain for the Winterfell guard. If his skill with weapons continues to increase at the current rate then we may have a new Master-At-Arms ."

"You would have your bastard installed as the new Master-At-Arms?" Catelyn asked with incredulous fury. "You would have me look at him until my dying day?"

"Catelyn, remember, Jon sees Robb and the others as his brothers and sisters. He would never try to take their positions for himself."

"Be that as it may, his very existence here is a continued slight to my honor. The Tully words are Honor, Duty, Family. As my husband one would say it is your duty to remove this stain upon my honor from my presence."

"Catelyn, be reasonable. If Jon was ever going to be a threat to your true sons then he would have shown himself as such by now. For you to continue to antagonize the lad when he has done nothing to earn your ire is the only stain that I see upon your honor. As your lord and husband, I command that you abandon the disdain that you are showing the boy, or at least just let him be, when he is successfully returned to Winterfell."

"How could you ask me to do such a thing? I waited dutifully for you to return from the war and when you did it was with a babe that you claimed to have sired on a wench! Your duty is to me. Your honor should have prevented you from brining such a babe to Winterfell. Your dedication to our family should have been enough prevent his birth."

"Enough!" the uncharacteristic shout reverberated through the chamber. "You will honor me, your lord and husband, by ceasing your vendetta against the boy. Though I can't make you love the boy like a mother, I can ask that you let him be if he does nothing to merit your ire. If anything is to happen to the boy because he fled the castle due to the Lady who has been poisoning the attendants against him then what would become of your honor?"

Lady Catelyn's blue eyes grew wide at the question posed by the Lord of Winterfell but she was quick to regain control of her regal features. "As you wish, my lord."

Ned shook his head while keeping his eyes leveled at Catelyn Stark. "I know that it is no easy thing that I'm asking but I wish you could see what I see in the boy. He would do anything to help Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran or even baby Rickon. He is not a threat. He is family."

"As you say, Lord Stark." His wife agreed demurely with a look of skepticism in her eyes. "I hope that you are right."

"That remains to be seen but so far he done nothing to make me suspicious that he is anything more than an eager boy doing his best to prove himself a man amongst those whose judgment that he values. Please Catelyn, give him the benefit of the doubt."

"As always, I will do what you say, Lord Stark." Lay Catelyn agreed while moving to her vanity to run a bush through the long red locks of hair that she had become known for since reaching maturity. "Pray that he never does anything to prove you wrong in your assumption of his character."

* * *

When Jon woke up, he found that his hands were bound and he was in a sitting position in a cave across from a man dressed in black from head to toe with a leering expression, cruel eyes and hands bound behind his back.

 ** _Quest alert!  
Broken Bindings: Escape from your captors and earn your freedom.  
Broken Bindings Sub-Quest: Help ? escape and return to Shadow Tower.  
Reward for completing main quest:75,000 experience. Access to Shadow Tower.  
Reward for completing Sub-Quest: Obtain an ally within Shadow Tower  
Penalty for failure: Your death as part of a ritual to appease the spirit of winter._**

Jon groggily accepted the task as he heard a voice.

"Finally decided to wake up, did you?" The man asked in a gruff voice with a fair amount of derision. "They took your sword, so don't bother looking for it. For some reason they weren't able to remove your cloak or your boots, so thank your gods for that."

"Where am I," Jon asked groggily as he tried to push himself to a more upright position. "Who are you?"

"M'names Alyn Ryswell. You have the look of Ned Stark about you," Alyn declared while simultaneously seeming to puff himself up with his introduction and eyeing Jon with suspicion. "To my knowledge, the only Stark that is currently part of the Nights Watch is the First Ranger Benjen Stark. I may have only met him once but I know that you aren't him."

"Nay, Benjen Stark is my uncle." Jon said, concluding that this man was a member of the Nights Watch, like his uncle. "I was just exploring a cave and don't know how I got here."

"Ah, that was probably your first mistake." The man determined with a slight scoff, as f indicating that he would never be caught in such a way, while nodding at Jon's story. "On the Wall, we call them the Cave People. They're a group of Wildlings that paint their faces and mostly stick to the caves. If they catch you, you end up like this and, most likely, you are never heard from again."

"You know my uncle, Benjen Stark?"

"Aye, I know him. I had gone ranging with him quite a few times in the past before I was sent to the Shadow Tower." Alyn answered before pulling his knees to his chest to help stave off the cold that was present in the tent and gazing intently at one of the walls of the cave, as if it held the secrets of his past. "Before I found myself at the Wall, there were several banquets held to honor the Starks at the Dreadfort. My mother was always invited to such festivities, so I first met Benjen when we were both green boys. His father was a proud man and did not want his children playing with the children of the Bolton's bannermen. Still, I remember the way the Stark children seemed to carry themselves as if they were better than everyone else since they carried the name Stark. Eventually, many years later, I would meet Benjen again when we were both fresh recruits to the Nights Watch."

"Men like Benjen and Ned Stark would not look down on people just because of their name. Ned Stark even let me, a bastard, live at Winterfell despite the wishes of his wife."

Alyn seemed to consider Jon's words before shaking his head and responding. "Maybe that is the case now but, back then, they could not be bothered with those of us with less prestigious names.

"I'm sure that was not their intention," Jon attempted to placate the older man. "Maybe there was another reason that they were not able to interact with you when you first met."

"We weren't good enough to merit the attention of the Starks," Alyn said bitterly as he spat on the caves floor. "Anyway, bringing up the past won't help us in our current situation. The Cave People are known to be ruthless with their prisoners. If we don't find a way to escape then it is extremely unlikely that we will live to see the coming of the dawn."

"Right, so how did a man of the Nights Watch come to find himself in the clutches of these cave people?"

"I'm sure it was most likely in a very similar way to how you were captured by them." Alyn answered with a dark look on his face that seemed to twist with his words. "My commander sent me to get information about the clan since I am one of the most experienced rangers at Shadow Tower. I was to determine their number and if it seemed probable that they would launch an attack on the Shadow Tower."

"Is this group really that dangerous?"

"The Wildlings are always dangerous. I can't tell you how many Brothers that they have killed in the time that I've spent with the Watch."

"But the Wildlings are men too. Doesn't it make more sense to work with them than to hunt them just because they were born on the wrong side of the Wall? Does looking at them in anger make you any better than the people that you felt looked down on you when you were younger?"

"What would you know about any of that? The Starks looked down on me just because of my house's name and the Wildlings will kill me just because I've taken the black. In just the same way as they will kill you."

"Why would they wish for my death? I've given them no offense and been taken against my will."

"The only offense that they need to justify your death is that you are not one of them. Simply by living, you go against all that they stand for and their way of life."

"Surely, they wouldn't attack without provocation?"

"Did you provoke them before you woke them up in this cave?"

"I can't see how anything I've done could be seen as an attack against them."

"That's because your existence itself is seen to be an attack against them."

"Why would that be? I have never done anything against them?"

"Maybe that's true. Either way, it doesn't matter. You are their captive now and will most likely die unless we can figure out a way to escape."

At this call to action, Jon tried to stand but his strength failed him causing him to fall to his knees. "I might have a way to escape but I can't seem to stand right now."

"Judging from the cuts on your face, I suspect that you have fallen victim to the poison that the Cave People use to take down their enemies. From what I've heard, there is a spring that has been poisoned by an ancient beast that dwells in its depths. They dip their weapons in the poisoned spring and are able to take down their enemies with even the lightest of blows."

Jon thought of Saphiron and how the massive snake had raked his face with its teeth. "I don't recall any of the Cave People striking me with any of their weapons."

"So you decided to give yourself hat little beauty mark by yourself?"

"Not quite, I found myself in battle against a great serpent and wasn't quite fast enough to get out of the ways of its teeth."

"If you say so. I've seen the kind of scars that their weapons leave behind and can recognize them when I see them."

"You may not be seeing what you think," Jon countered. "I think I would remember if one of these Cave People managed to slice my face with one of their weapons."

"Say what you will, Stark. Your injuries tell a different story."

"Think what you will. I'll do what I need to get us out of here."

"Did you have any weapons hidden on your person?"

"No but I think I can probably get out of this binding."

"How would you do that? I saw them bring you in and bind you and it looked like the bound you tightly enough that even if you had a weapon hidden somewhere on your person that you would not be able to escape."

"Err, maybe," Jon answered while shaking his head to clear his mind for the delirium that Saphiron's poison was causing. Jon turned to block the view from of his hands from the member of the Nights Watch. Calling up his magic manipulation, Jon was able to force his magic to cut the bindings hat held him captive. With his hands free, Jon turned back to face Alyn. Maybe they didn't do as good of a job binding me as they thought."

"You must have been blessed by the seven. I have been trying to free myself from the accursed bindings since before you were even brought into the room but haven't been able to make any progress. Now that your hands are free, could you free me from my bindings?"

"Aye," Jon agreed with a shake of his head as he moved to stand behind the member of the Nights Watch. "Bend your head down. I wouldn't want to cut your fingers."

"We speak of this to no one if we manage to escape," Alyn proclaimed as his smile at the thought at being freed twisted into a snarl and he proceeded to do as Jon bid. "Get it over with."

Jon took Alyn's hands and jerked up, as if he was getting ready to cut through the binding. Again, using his Magic Manipulation, he was able to cut though the binding.

"It's done then," Jon stated while letting Alyn's hands fall apart. "How did you plan to get out of here now that your hands are unbound?"

"Now we must try our best to sneak from the camp without being discovered. If we are spotted then we will most likely be overcome by sheer numbers."

"Alright," Jon agreed though he had no way of knowing how many enemies were allied against them. "I'll follow your lead."

"See to it that you do. I have no need for an untested Summer Child getting in the way while I make my escape."

Hearing the insult, Jon couldn't help but reply, "This Summer Child was able to free you from your bonds after you had tried and failed."

"So, you have some skills. Just try not to get in my way."

"Are you always such a charmer or do I just bring out the best in you?"

"Quiet," Alyn commanded, clearly used to being in command. "Now is our chance to escape. They will be getting ready for the ceremony. If we can get out of this cave now then we have a good chance of being able to make it to the Shadow Tower."

"Hopefully you know the way to Shadow Tower because I was just panning to go south until I reached Winterfell again."

"That's pretty much the way from here. If we go south and follow the river, it will take us to Shadow Tower. However, to do that, we will need to get out of here. Can you stand?"

Jon pushed himself to his feet, causing the room to spin slightly before he shook his head to right his vision. "Aye."

"Right, we will have to make our way from this cave and then put a good amount of distance between ourselves and the Cave People before we can begin to feel safe."

"Fine," Jon agreed, his spins returning. "Do you know the way out of this cave?"

"The same way that we came in, of course."

"My memories of being brought here are severely lacking, lead the way."

"Right, follow me."

Alyn stood and walked to the darkness of the cave, crouched to minimize the noise that he made while moving. Jon followed at a much slower pace than he would have regularly been capable of if he had not been poisoned by the serpent.

Jon was focused on walking and did not realize that Alyn had stopped until he lightly bumped into the Nights Watchman. "Watch where you're going, boy, and keep it down. The path to the entryway goes through an area where the Cave People come together, drink and have their meals when they are not out raiding. We will have to go through that room to get out of the cave."

"Alright, how can we get past them?"

"That is the question. If they find that we have escaped they will sooner kill us than ask questions."

"Do you have anything that we can use to make a distraction?"

"They took my crossbow. Other than that, nothing on my person could have caused a big enough distraction."

Jon looked beyond Alyn and saw a large cavernous chamber that was well lit with torches at the end of the path that they were following. Seeing the torches, Jon looked along the walls and found that there were also several torches along the path, just like those he had seen in the caves around Winterfell.

Moving slowly, Jon reached towards the torch and received a notification.

 ** _Use 50 MP to put out the torches?_**

"I think I have a plan," Jon stated while putting a hand on the wall to steady himself. "I saw a rune on the wall that I noticed from my studies. If I'm not mistaken, it is meant to link all of the torches flames together that provide light to the cave. If I put out one of the torches, all of the rest should go out as a result."

"Where did you see such a symbol?"

"It was on the wall along the way, somewhere back there," Jon gestured vaguely. "Do you think you could get us out if I am able to get the light out?"

"What do we have to lose? I'll take your word on the symbol. Yes, getting us out shouldn't be a problem if you can somehow put the torches out."

"Right," Jon nodded as he raised his hand to his mouth and licked his palm before bringing it close to the torch. "Grab my other hand and get us out of here when the lights go out."

Alyn did as Jon instructed and grabbed his left hand as Jon cupped the torch with his dampened hand seeming to snuff it out. Then slowly but surely all of the other torches also went out, leaving the cave in darkness.

Jon felt a tug and let himself be pulled along by Alyn through the dark cave.

While the Cave people could not see the escape, there was quite a ruckus as the cave suddenly went dark.

"What witchcraft is this?" a man's voice shouted from the darkness. "How could all of the torches go out at the same time? It's not natural!"

"It's never happened before!" a woman's voice shouted. "The Children must be stirring."

"If the Children are stirring then staying put is the best thing for us!" a different man's voice suggested. "We don't want to bring their wrath upon us by defying them if they have decided to take our light for the night!"

"What if it's not the Children that made it happen?" the woman countered while her voice shook. "What if it's the Others?"

"The Others haven't been seen for over 1000 years," the first man's voice argued. "What would they want with us now?"

"Maybe it's the boy?" The second man voiced. "When is the last time that we had a green southerner in these caves?"

Jon wanted to stay to listen to what the Cave People believed to be the reason that he could have brought the Others to their cave but he did not want to risk being separated from Alyn for fear that he would be left alone with the Cave People once they mastered their fears and started lighting their torches again.

After ten minutes of walking, Jon was able to make out the starry night sky in the distance through the mouth of the cave. From the whinnies that Jon was hearing, it seemed that the Cave People kept their horses housed in the mouth of the cave. Alyn made his way to the horses, keeping hold of Jon's hand to keep the pace up.

"Can you ride?" Alyn asked. "If we don't take the horses, then I don't think it likely that we will be able to get to Shadow Tower before the Cave People find us again. If they get to us before we get to the Shadow Tower then I doubt they will be forgiving about our escape."

"I'll manage," Jon answered while making his way to a horse that was already saddled. "I think I'll take this one."

"Suit yourself," Alyn responded while throwing a curious eye at Jon. "Though, I would expect that horse to have been ran pretty recently if it is still saddled. You would be better off with a fresh horse even though it would mean you have to get it saddled up."

Jon nodded and moved to a dark horse that seemed to blend in with the shadowy mouth of the cave. Looking around its pen, he found a saddle draped over one of the pen's walls. He unlocked the pen's gate and raised a hand for the horse to sniff.

The horse butted its nose against his palm and gave it a lick which Jon took as permission to proceed. With a heave he removed the saddle from the side of the pen and put it on the horses back before tightening the straps that secured the saddle on the underside of the horse and settling the bridle into position.

Pulling on the reigns, Jon led the horse from its pen to the place where Alyn was standing before putting his left foot in the stirrup and slinging his right leg over the back of the horse to mount himself. "Alright, let's get going."

Alyn did the same before responding. "Right then. Follow me and don't fall behind."

"I'll do my best," Jon answered while fighting off the blackness that threatened to swallow his vision. He leaned forward and whispered to the horse. "Alright, you, be sure to follow your brother."

Alyn set off at a very sedate pace with Jon following behind him. After a few minutes at that pace, Alyn seemed to determine that they had put enough distance between themselves as the slow trot gave way to a full-fledged gallop.

Jon held the reigns tightly and kept his legs tight around the horse's midsection. The moonlight revealed that the horse was of such a dark brown coloring on its body that it could be mistaken for black if not for the brownish sheen that could be seen as the light caught on the coat. The coloring on its legs was black as if it had waded through the inkiest black of pitch.

Jon tried to focus on the details of the scenery around him but it was an endeavor doomed to failure as, with each step, the darkness that had been encroaching on his vision since he had waken in the cave took more and more of his vision. Jon tried to call out to Alyn to let the Nights Watchman know of his weaning consciousness but that it was unlikely that he would be able to keep up the pace much longer with the effort that he was exerting to keep his seat on the galloping horse.

It was not to be, as Jon's vice failed him in that moment. With his last conscious thought, Jon thought of the feeling of magic he had felt in the cave when he struck the unpainted door with a blast of pure magic. He felt the magic building within his body as the seconds passed and gave one subconscious command to his body before being overcome by the darkness. "Do not fall."

 ** _Magic Manipulation +1,500  
Flames +500_**

* * *

As the darkness had fallen upon Jon, it had also fallen upon Winterfell. While Robb and Sansa were well on their way to being considered as a man and woman grown respectively, Bran, Arya and Rickon were still children in body and mind. Though the mystery surrounding Jon's disappearance had hit the older Stark siblings it was much more difficult for the younger siblings.

As such, the Stark children had snuck into Robb's chambers to seek comfort in the night since they were considered to be too old to seek comfort in their parents' chambers at night. Robb's four siblings had piled onto his bed and were speaking of the subject that had caused what they assumed to be a fairly serious disagreement between their mother and father, if the frostiness between the two was anything to go by.

"Why did Jon have to go?" Bran asked. Rickon's head perked up at the mention of Jon's name. Though he was still not speaking in a manner that his mother approved of, the youngest Stark was clearly missing the older brother who had played with him and been so nice to him. "It isn't like him to just disappear."

Arya inclined her head at her little brother and scooted his way before speaking conspiratorially. "Jon has been acting strangely over the last month. All he does is train and read. I've followed him after he leaves the training grounds and almost every day he goes to Maester Luwin's chambers and stays there for hours reading boring old books."

"Unlike you, I appreciate that Jon is trying to become more cultured," Sansa said, causing her siblings to look to her in surprise. "He even helped me find Lady one afternoon when she had disappeared. He did not give me the details of what happened but, from the gash in his shirt, I suspect that Lady was in more trouble than just being lost in the Wolfswood."

Robb listened to Sansa's words and nodded. "Ever since he beat me in a spar it's like a different side of him has come out. While I have no doubt that he would still do anything to protect his family, it seems like every day he is pushing himself to his limits to become better."

"Jon is the greatest," Bran exclaimed with a gleam in his eye as he remembered the spectacle that Jon had caused in the training ground on the day that he had defeated Robb in the spar. "He is like one of the knights from the tales that mother sometimes tells from the South."

"Just like one of the knights from those tales, Jon took it upon himself to rescue Lady at nothing more than a simple request," Sansa agreed while turning her head to the side and seeming to get lost in the fantasy of being the pretty lady who was rescued by a gallant knight before looking slightly ashamed. "Even though I have been pretty awful to him since finding out what it meant for him to be a Snow."

Arya giggled at Sansa's confession. "You were pretty awful to him," she declared after regaining control of herself. "That he would brave danger for your sake just to make you happy again does sound like one of the knights that mother would speak of in her stories."

"That's just how Jon is," Robb added after a chuckle at Arya's remark. "He will be a good man when he's grown and father's looks become even more pronounced when he commits himself to his training."

Apparently the mention of Jon's resemblance to their father reminded Bran of his absence as the boy did not join in the merriment of his sisters. "Then why did he go?"

"Jon loves Winterfell," Arya promised, becoming serious. "He would never leave here without saying goodbye unless he was forced to go."

"Who would force Jon to leave?" Sansa questioned innocently. "Even if there are people who do not approve of how he came to be here, it is well known that father would not hear of sending him away."

"What if he was kidnapped?" Arya speculated wildly. "He looks like a younger version of father. Maybe someone saw him and thought that he was you, Robb. The firstborn son of the Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North would fetch a handsome ransom. Mother always warned us to be wary of people who may try to steal us away from Winterfell."

Rob folded his hands together and looked on his knuckles as he appeared deep in thought to his sisters. "Jon has become more fearsome with a sword than any man in Winterfell. It is not likely that a man with the skill to capture him could have arrived at Winterfell without some word of his coming."

"Or her coming," Arya added while making a face at her eldest brother. "Girls can be just as good at swords as boys can be. I'm going to be the greatest swordswoman that Westeros has ever seen."

Robb chuckled and tousled Arya's hair as Jon would have done if he were there. "Aye, perhaps it was a swordswoman."

"What about that performer that you told me he seemed to get on with?" Sansa asked. "He would be the knight and she would be the princess; they could run off together, start a family and live out their days happily until they grow old together."

"Sansa, this is Jon we're talking about," Arya reminded while gently nudging her sister with her elbow. "There is no way that he would run off like one of the knights in those stories that you enjoy so much without telling us his plan first."

"If he didn't choose to leave and he wasn't made to leave then what other reason could there be that Robb, father, Theon and the other riders that went looking for him didn't find him?" Bran asked impatiently. "The best hunters in Winterfell couldn't hunt him down."

"What if it had something to do with that blast of light that passed through the castle?" Arya asked suspiciously. "I had never seen anything like that in my life."

"Who has ever heard of a flash of light causing someone to disappear?" Sansa raised her eyebrow critically. "It simply can't do such a thing."

"I'm not so sure, Sansa," Rob countered while thinking of where he was when the blast of light passed through Winterfell. "That didn't feel like normal light. When I felt it go through my body while I was sparring I felt more alive than I had ever felt before. It was like I was sleeping and the light somehow woke me up."

"I felt the same thing!" Arya exclaimed. "When the light passed through my body, I felt like I could do anything."

Sansa seemed unsure of herself at her siblings' words. "I don't know what I felt when the light passed through me. I was in such a state of shock that nothing else was registering in my mind."

"I felt as if I had just climbed the tallest tower in the world," Bran declared, seemingly forgetting how the siblings had arrived on the topic. "I felt like I could do anything."

"Me!" Rickon pointed to himself with a mischievous smile reminding his siblings that he was there too and perhaps trying to tell them that he had also felt something when the mysterious blast of light had passed through him.

"You too, Rickon?" Robb asked. "Well then, it sounds like we're in agreement that something strange is afoot. Maybe Jon's disappearance did have something to do with that blast of light, maybe it did not. I've learned that most of the adults would not hear more than a child's fantasy if we were to make such a suggestion without presenting evidence to back the claim."

Arya's face fell when Robb mentioned that, without proof, claiming that Jon's disappearance had something to do with the blast of light would be ignored by the grownups. "What if he's out there and he's hurt and there is nothing we can do to help him?"

"Then we hope that all of his training was good for something," Robb said in an attempt to console his youngest sister. "If there is anything that I know about Jon Snow it's that he would do everything to make his way back to Winterfell if he was taken by foul play."

"Jon will return to Winterfell," Arya stated with a determined look on his face. "Even if he had the misfortune to be born a bastard he is still a Stark. As father would say, Winter is Coming. The lone wolf dies while the pack survives. Jon is part of this pack. Even if he is separated from the pack for a time, I believe with all of my heart that he will return here, to us."

"After rescuing Lady, Jon as much as told me I was a Direwolf of Winterfell." Sansa breathed as she looked around in worry as if she was worried the words would be thrown back at her. "Father has always sad that, while the lone wolf dies, the pack survives. Jon is a part of his pack, so he will survive"

"I'm glad you are finally realizing that you and Jon are both members of the pack," Rob joked while looking at Sansa. "If I'd known that was what it would take, I would have done so years ago."

"You would have had to go across the Wall to get a Direwolf." Bran said seemingly missing the joke. "There hadn't been a direwolf seen south of the Wall in 700 years before Jon found our direwolves. Maybe you would have run into Uncle Benjen."

"Right you are Bran," Robb agreed while bumping his shoulder into his younger brother amicably. "Though I doubt any Stark besides Uncle Benjen will be going north of the Wall anytime soon."

* * *

Meanwhile, north of the Wall, two horses were approaching the massive silhouette of the Shadow Tower.

"Oi, look sharp," Alyn ordered in a sharp voice. "We're almost there."

Jon stirred for the first time in hours. "Wha?" he asked as he tried to regain his bearings. "Where are we?"

"We made it to Shadow Tower," Alyn responded while keeping his eyes focused on the tower. "You best get your wits about you if you want Ser Denys Mallister and Maester Mullin to let you into the tower."

"Just get me off this horse and I can deal with anything else." Jon said while trying to adjust himself in the saddle. Though the inadvertent magic that he had cast had stuck him to the horse, it had done nothing to assure his comfort over the leagues that the pair had traveled. "I would give all the treasure in Xaro Xhoan Daxos' main treasure chamber for a bed and a place to rest properly."

"I've never heard that name before but with a name like that you better have plenty of gold to back you up." Alyn answered while giving Jon a look that clearly asked where he had heard of such a person. "You should know that men of the Nights Watch swear off holding any kind of titles if you are thinking about bribing the lord of the Shadow Tower and the Maester that advises him."

Jo shook his head while still attempting to regain his bearings. "I have no intention of bribing anyone. It was just a turn of speech."

"Well you had better to give the pair a better explanation than that for how you came to be he prisoner of the Cave People if you ever expect to leave. "Though with concern for numbers, it is just as likely that Ser Denys has you says the words before hearing anything that you might have to say."

"I wouldn't dream of trying to bribe a man of the Nights Watch," Jon was stupefied by Alyn's assertion. "My uncle would never hear of it and I would not dishonor my father with such an action."

"Of course," Alyn nodded. "A member of the Stark family would never do something so deplorable. Still remember yourself and try to limit how much time you spend talking of how you came into the company of the Cave People and how we escaped as possible."

"I have nothing to hide!" Jon protested with a dull indignity though, after the words had left his mouth, he realized that it was not exactly true. "Why would I have to bribe men of the Nights Watch? My father is most likely of all the lords in the Seven Kingdoms in the seven kingdoms to send men to bolster the ranks of the Nights Watch."

"So you think you're better than us young Stark?"

"I'm no Stark," Jon stated brutally, "but I would never sully the name of Stark by attempting such a thing."

Alyn's brow furrowed at Jon's words. "You defended the Stark name but you did not deny that you think you're better than us?"

"A man is only worth what he brings to a treaty," Jon countered as the two drew steadily closer to a massive gate in the Wall. "I have no intention of hiding behind a name."

"Well that's good." Alyn said with a brief nod. "Ser Denys would not suffer a highborn whelp who thought to use his birth as a means to gain standing in the eyes of the Watch."

Jon let out an exasperated breath at the fact that the man that he helped escape from the aggressions of the Wildlings would think him nothing better than a young man seeking glory. "I have done nothing to deserve such suspicion. Since being captured by the Cave People, I have never done anything against you. I freed you from your bonds and then noticed the runes that made it possible for us to get passed the Wildling group without battle."

The two had finally made their way to the gate of the Shadow Tower and they heard the shout, "What business do you have with the Shadow Tower. You may be dressed like Brothers of the Nights Watch but all members of the Nights Watch would know to give the signal before coming upon the door."

"It is Alyn Ryswell, accompanied by friend to the Watch, Jon Snow." Alyn's voice boomed from their position. "Get your twats moving and open the gate."

Though there was not an immediate reaction to Ayln's words, after a log sixty seconds, there was a creaking sound from the wall.

Alyn looked to the disheveled youth that had helped him escape his captivity before saying two words.

"Come on."

* * *

 **AN: Points that I tried to address: 1. How people are taking the spread of magic across Westeros. 2. How people are seeing Jon's journey to be the very best (duh, duh, duh, duh) like no one ever was. 3. Jon's lack of challenge at Winterfell. 4. The progression of the plot. Please let me know your thoughts by reviewing. Even though I don't always respond to reviews directly, I read them _ALL_ and definitely try to give you the answer to your question through the story.**


	15. SR015

**AN: Again, special thanks to Reviewer543 for the contribution to this story. Without those contributions, this story would not have reached the quality levels of the past few chapters. Thank you to everyone that has followed, favorited and reviewed. Please continue to do so!**

* * *

A creaking sound resonated through the relative silence surrounding the Shadow Tower. The Tower itself lived up to its name as it seemed to be shrouded in shadows. Though it was connected to the Wall, as were all of the Nights Watch's strongholds, this one pierced the sky but did not seem to gain notice from the sun as the rays of light failed to penetrate the intense shadows.

 _The Wall and this tower even dwarf Winterfell in height_ Jon thought to himself as he stared up in wonder at the two massive structures. Turning his head, he followed the wall as far as he could with his eyes before it met the horizon and disappeared into the distance. _To think that structures like this exist in the world. It's no wonder that people credit legendary figures like Bran the Builder with their construction. How could any mere man build something so much bigger than himself?_

"Look, Snow," Alyn grumbled getting his companions attention. "You helped get me out of a tight spot back there. I'm not one for words but for that you have my thanks."

"We helped each other," Jon countered with a smirk while his gaze returned to the tunnel that had been revealed at the base of the Shadow Tower. "There is no way that I could have made it here by myself. Right now I just want a bed."

"Well, the Shadow Tower may not be as finely furnished as you are used to but you will find that there are more than enough beds that getting you set up in one should not be a problem"

"The Shadow Tower is the tallest building that I have ever laid eyes upon." Jon countered, while his eye caught sight of a Raven taking flight from one of the windows a hundred feet off the ground. "Then there's the Wall…"

"Aye, then there's the Wall. Just about everyone feels that way when they see it for the first time. Though usually the first glimpse of it is usually from Castle Black as that is where Lord Commander Mormont has the new recruits say their vows."

"What is Castle Black like?"

"It's not as tall as the Shadow Tower but it is still pretty impressive. It's as well maintained as possible given the circumstances and it's much lighter than this place."

"From what I've heard, the Shadow Tower has been shrouded in darkness since the thirteenth Lord Commander of the Nights Watch crowned himself as Night's King before he was killed. It is said that upon his death, his wife, the Night's Queen, fled the Nightfort and lived the rest of her days barricaded in one of the chambers in the depths of the Shadow Tower that has been lost to time."

"The Night's King, I've heard of that before," Jon said, grimacing as he tried to recall what he had heard of the Night's King, as he and Alyn reached the tunnel and he saw the man begin to dismount. "That was the one that was taken down when the King in the North of that age allied with a King Beyond the Wall?"

Alyn's usually solemn face seemed to lighten as he laughed. "There was a bit more to it than that but aye; that is the one I'm talking about."

Jon almost voiced a thought that such a thing shouldn't be possible before remembering that he could summon frost, fire and lightning on a whim and decided to let the matter drop. Pulling up on his horse's reigns, he caused the mount to stop before he pushed himself from the saddle to dismount. Unfortunately, sleeping in the saddle did not seem to provide the same regenerative properties as sleeping in his bed as the sudden movement caused a sudden rush of dizziness that resulted in him falling in a heap at the horse's side.

"You lasted far longer than I thought before falling from the horse," Alyn said as he shoved his hand out to help Jon to his feet. "It's a good thing too. If you had fallen off during the night's ride you would have had to figure a way here by yourself."

Jon just shook his head, too disoriented to respond vocally as he reached for the hand that was presented to him. With a swift tug, Jon was back on his feet as the dizziness returned causing him to lean heavily on the horse that had brought him to the Shadow Tower.

"That works. Lead the horse through the tunnel and one of the stewards will take him to the stables once we're through."

Again, Jon nodded and forced one foot in front of the other to make his way through the dark tunnel. The occasional torch on the wall provided just enough light to prevent the tunnel from fading into darkness. The length of the tunnel was surprising to Jon as, by his estimation, he had traveled at least 300 paces before the tunnel turned sharply and began to angle up.

As Jon, Alyn and the horses made the turn they could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. After two hundred more paces, they had reached the end of the tunnel and stepped into the sunshine in the middle of what appeared to be a training ground. Standing in a semi-circle at the entrance to the cave was a group of men dressed in black. Jon turned his head lethargically to compare Alyn to the assembled group.

Like many of the others, Alyn had a sizable beard, though streaks of grey in his beard indicated that he was one of the older members of the Watch. Also, now that Jon had others to use for comparison, he could clearly see that Alyn was taller than average. While everyone was clad in black, Jon couldn't help but think that the attire worn by Alyn seemed to be higher quality than that of the other members of the Nights Watch in general. Not only did his clothes seem to be of higher quality but his eyes were revealed by the light to be a very unusual golden brown in color.

While Jon was making his comparisons, a man who seemed to be in his late forties with exceptionally blue eyes, a bald head and a bushy white mustache stepped forward followed by another old man with lank white hair that formed a sort of halo around the bald crown of his head who was clean shaven with brown eyes and a Maester's chain over his black robes.

The man's gaze flickered from Alyn to Jon before resting on Alyn again.

"Alyn, it's good to have you back. We will discuss your unauthorized ranging later." The man that Jon presumed to be Denys Mallister, said while narrowing his eyes. "Who is this that you have brought back with you?"

"My name is Jon Snow." Jon introduced himself while trying to emulate Lord Eddard Stark speaking with one of his lordly bannermen. "My father is Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell, Warden of the North."

"Well met, Jon Snow." The man acknowledged. "My name is Denys Mallister, I have command here at Shadow Tower. This is the maester of the Shadow Tower, Mullin. If what you said is true, what brought you so far from home?"

"I speak the truth. Honestly, I can't say how I got here. One minute I was in Winterfell and the next thing I remember is waking up in the woods before passing out and waking up in a cave with Alyn."

"This is not good. It has come to our attention that, recently, Wildlings from Frostfangs have been managing to slip past the wall." The man said as he stroked his beard in consideration. "It is possible but deeply troubling that a group of Wildlings was able to make their way to Winterfell looking for a high-born captive. In the past years, we have noticed the Wildings banding together behind one who has fashioned himself as a King Beyond the Wall. Perhaps he was the reason behind your capture."

"If he's anything like the Cave People that we met, I wouldn't want to meet him." Jon said with a cringe, thinking of the people that had captured him after his battle with Saphiron. "I didn't do anything to threaten them but they still captured me, bound me and, if Alyn is correct, they would have killed me."

"The Cave People are savages." Denys acknowledged with a nod. "In all of my years at Shadow Tower, I have never heard of anyone managing to escape once they were caught by the Cave People."

The maester stepped forward and asserted himself into the conversation. "For that matter, I cannot recall the Cave People choosing to capture rather than kill during combat."

"I don't know much about the Cave People," Jon replied as the dizziness that had been his companion since the battle with Saphiron returned. "From what Alyn has told me, it sounded like they were getting ready to kill us before we escaped."

"Yes," Ser Denys nodded. "How exactly did you escape? Pardon my saying but you don't seem to be in a very good way."

Jon tried to straighten up and present himself as if he was being addressed by the Warden of the North when he had his Lord face, as Arya used to call it. "I'm not completely sure what happened but I have been out of sorts since waking up. It's a small miracle that I managed to stay on my horse throughout the night to make it here with Alyn."

"Alyn," Denys addressed the ranger. "How is it that two men managed to escape the caves of the Cave People?"

"With more luck than we had any right to expect," Alyn answered in an earnest tone. "Apparently, they thought that the boy didn't have much fight in him. His bindings were not as secure as they should have been. He managed to free himself before freeing me. Then we snuck through the caves and were able to steal a pair of horses and make our escape."

"That is fortunate to an extreme," Maester Mullin said with a pointed look. "You went on an unauthorized ranging, met with a group of Wildlings known for their brutality and managed a daring escape with the bastard son of the Warden of the North. I look forward to discussing this in more detail with you and Commander Denys."

"Of course," Alyn nodded before his gaze shifted to Jon. "Though, we should probably get the boy to a bed before he falls where he stands."

"I'm fine," Jon started to protest while stepping forward suddenly. Unfortunately, the action proved to be too much for him and he collapsed where he stood.

* * *

Jon was no longer standing in the middle of the training grounds at the Shadow Tower. Instead of the dizziness that he had been experiencing, he felt power and purpose as he ran through trees that dwarfed those of the Wolfswood. His lungs expanded and contracted as he took deep breaths that allowed him to push his body to go faster. As his paws touched down, there was barely a sign despite his massive size.

It was then that Jon realized that the body that he was using to run through the forest was not that of a man. Somehow, he managed to find himself in Ghost's body. With all of the madness that had appeared in Jon's world in the past day, he didn't fight against the unfamiliar situation and allowed himself to be swept up in the sensation joy that his Direwolf companion gained from pushing his newly grown body to its limit, the crisp air in his lungs, the soft ground beneath his paws and the unrelenting feeling of strength in his muscles.

With this realization, Jon realized something that something beyond the pleasures that he had been experiencing was pushing at his consciousness; the reason that he was running. Though Ghost's thoughts were not constructed in the words used by men, Jon was able to understand the meaning behind the waves of emotion rolling through the mind of the direwolf.

He felt Ghosts reluctance to part from his master while Jon was battling against the sea serpent. He felt the desire that Ghost felt to turn around and return to the one who had saved him and his siblings. Most of all, Jon could feel the fear of Ghost's uncertainty that had manifested when the direwolf caught the faintest trace of a smell that caused all of his instincts to rebel.

All of his instincts of self-preservation demanded that Ghost run as far from the smell as he could but the direwolf rebelled against those instincts to help protect his pack and the one that saved him. He followed the scent unstopping as day gave way to night and night, in turn, gave way to day again. The smell had steadily become stronger as Ghost drew steadily closer to the enemies of the living.

As Ghost propelled them forward, Jon noticed that the terrain started to shift. He could no longer see the forest floor as a light dusting of snow had settled upon the ground. Although the presence of snow on the ground caused Jon to think that the temperature dropped significantly, he was unable to feel it through Ghost's thick furs.

Ghost pushed on and Jon noticed that the amount of snow on the ground increased to the point that it would be deep enough to reach his ankle, had he been standing there in his boots. This did not seem to deter Ghost in the slightest as he continued to run without the slightest protest to the changed climate.

Ghost kept up the pace until they arrived at a small break in the trees where the smell that had compelled Jon so far from his master was unmistakable. Besides the smell, the next thing that alerted Jon to the danger of the clearing would have made him heave the meager contents of his stomach if he saw it in his human body. There on the other side of the clearing was the body of a little girl with her back to a tree. Initially she looked to be standing but upon further inspection it was revealed that she had been impaled upon one of the low hanging branches that jutted from her chest.

The girl's brown eyes remained opened and her face was frozen in terror. Following her gaze, Jon saw a clearing filled with dismembered body parts that had been arranged to form a rough circle with a line bisecting its center. The dismembered heads men were impaled upon sticks that had been driven into the frozen ground, and were facing away from the parts that had formerly made their bodies.

Three men dressed in black had dismounted as Ghost pawed closer to the clearing, his coat allowing him to blend into his surroundings despite his massive size. All of the men were wearing the blacks of the Nights Watch though only one had the beard of a man. The other two, presumably younger, members of the Watch were almost opposite in appearance except for their height.

One of the younger two had shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes while the other had very dark hair that was kept short and plastered to his head. The other of the two younger men kept his dark hair short and had wispy facial hair that was common at the age just before he would be considered a man grown. The eldest was not yet showing any grey to give his age away but his eyes spoke volumes and seemed to tell the story of many journeys north of the Wall.

While Ghost was close enough to hear the words that the men spoke, the direwolf's ears instead focused on the crunch of snow beyond the men who had drawn their swords and his nose on the smell of the being that created the sound. It was only the sound of swords being drawn from sheathes caused Ghost to shift his attention to the men again.

The men were looking around the disjointed body parts for the culprits of such a crime when the man with beard stooped down to pick something up off the ground. Whatever it was that he picked up was indiscernible from Ghost's vantage point but it served to attract the attention of the member of the Watch with the short dark hair.

Ghost's body was in motion before Jon realized the danger that the member of the Watch had inadvertently encountered. When he was distracted by the object held by his brother Watchman, a hulking figure with white hair, grey skin and glowing blue eyes rose from the snow with a sword that seemed to be made of ice held in its hand.

The entity with the blue eyes that seemed to glow with an unnatural blue light and the ice sword did not make a sound as he decapitated the man with the dark hair and wispy facial hair that was so unfortunate as to cross its path. The bearded man of the Nights Watch let out a scream as the figure lunged forward and plunged its icy blade into his heart, silencing forever.

In the seconds that passed between the figure with the glowing eyes appearing and the second member of the Nights Watch being cut down, Ghost's body had crossed the clearing. He was the one thing standing in between the supernatural being the death of the last member of the Nights Watch who had dared to leave the safety of the wall and ventured into the unforgiving lands to the north.

The being lashed out with its sword made of ice, causing Ghost's body to hop backward before recoiling on his powerful legs and lunging forward. Ghost's teeth found purchase in the being's right shoulder right at the point where it met the neck which caused its eyes to narrow but it seemed otherwise unperturbed by the attack.

Attacking the arm that held the sword prevented it from being used against him but it did nothing to disable the other arm. The glowing eyes seemed to burn with fury as it cocked its left arm back and slammed its fist into Ghost's skull, dislodging the wolf and causing it to remove a mouthful of flesh.

The blow phased the direwolf but Jon knew that he had to act before the being with the glowing eyes was able to attack with that sword made of ice. For the first time since finding himself in Ghost's body, Jon exerted himself and took control of his companion's body.

Coiling back on his hind legs, Jon harnessed all of the power in the direwolf's body before launching himself at the enemy that had caused Ghost's self-preservation instincts to go into overdrive. He pulled his right paw back in the same way that Jon would cock his arm for a punch and felt his limb burn with the insistence that he had come to associate with fire magic.

Ghost's paw was ablaze as it smashed into the body of his adversary. The inflamed paw slashed through the body of the entity with the glowing eyes with no resistance causing the eyes to dim before going dark. As the flaming paw came into contact with the space, where the being's heart should have been, it exploded backwards in a discharge of ice.

 _ **Alteration: Warg +10,000  
Warg – **__The ability to enter and take control of another creature. The cost of this ability along with the variety of creatures that you can control is based on your relative levels and the familiarity between yourself and the creature that you wish to control. It will cost more MP to attempt to warg into a creature that is closer to your level and hostile towards you than it would to warg into the same creature if it was lower level and friendly towards you. The first time warging into a creature will have an additional MP cost to establish the warg link. As you warg more frequently with the same creature, the cost of warging will decrease.  
_ _ **Evasion +500  
Light Armor +500  
Destruction: Flames +1000**_

* * *

Jon woke with a start after all he had experienced with Ghost.

"Finally awake, Jon Snow?" Maester Mullin asked with a rasp. "Here, drink this. It'll make you feel better."

Jon took the cup that was offered to him and noticed that, though he did not feel quite as refreshed as when he slept in his own bed, he was feeling significantly better than he did when he woke up after spending the night on horseback. "Thank you Maester."

Jon took a deep drink and had to cover his mouth to stop himself from spitting the foul tasting concoction out. He forced himself to finish the drink as he thought back to Maester Luwin's lectures on how many of the most general curative plants had a very bitter taste. Turning his attention from his cup to the maester, he couldn't help but think _He looks even older by candlelight than he did in the training ground._

The maester looked on approvingly, seemingly pleased that Jon had not wasted the potion that he had crafted to help rid his body of whatever poison had caused his weakness. "It is good that you managed to drink the tonic. Were you not the son of Lord Eddard Stark, there is no way that Ser Denys would have given me the approval to make it for you."

"The Nights Watch are supposed to protect men," Jon said while looking around his chambers and taking in the surprising silence and the number of empty beds. "How could Ser Denys have refused to provide such a cure if it was within his means to give?"

"Aye, the Nights Watch does protect the realms of men," The maester agreed as he stood from his chair and placed a hand on Jon's forehead before removing it with a small smile. "Unfortunately, these are hard times that we live in and harder still here at along the Wall. Ser Denys had to weigh the possibility of one person losing their life against the number of people that could meet the Stranger if a member of the Nights Watch was poisoned and could not be cured."

"Surely things cannot be as bad as that," Jon said shaking his head slightly as he pushed himself to a sitting position. "Lord Stark always said there is honor in the Watch. Surely the other lords of Westeros see that."

"If only it were so," the maester responded with a heavy sigh as he made his way back to his chair. "At this point the 'honor in the Watch' has been all but forgotten. Sure there are some that still remember that honor; your uncle, our commander Denys, Qhorin Halfhand and the Lord Commander all still remember that honor. Unfortunately, in recent years the new recruits are more men seeking to avoid punishment for their various crimes than men seeking to do their duty to protect the realms of men."

"This castle is the largest structure that I have ever seen," Jon muttered while looking on the empty beds that had a new significance. "Surely it must take close to four hundred men to see everything attended to in the castle while making arms, tending to livestock and performing all of the duties that the Watch is responsible for carrying out."

The maester looked at Jon appraisingly. "Indeed, it would take very near to that amount of men to make sure that nothing was missed. It is to our detriment that we have barely half of that number. While we are enough to keep the castle from falling into complete disrepair, we are too few to see the castle to its former glory."

"Surely Lord Stark and the other northern lords would send men if they knew the state of things here."

"Ravens fly almost constantly to the lords of Westeros but, even still, we do not have the men needed to man this castle; let alone do we have the men or the supplies to fortify the majority of other outposts that have been built along the wall," the maester admitted quietly with a disappointed shake of his head. "There's enough of that. The troubles of the Nights Watch will be tended to by the Nights Watch, as they always have. Though, if you wanted to remind Lord Stark of the direness of our situation it would certainly be appreciated."

"I will do so, Maester Mullin." Jon nodded earnestly as he let the subject drop. "How long was I out?"

"A new day has dawned since you collapsed on the training grounds." The Maester answered as he stood again and beckoned Jon to follow. "If you are able to stand, we should go inform Ser Denys of your recovery. Just take it slow for the next few hours and you should be back in top form in no time."

Jon followed the maester's instruction as he gingerly pushed himself off the bed and onto his feet. Though the action caused slight dizziness, it was nothing compared to what he had been experiencing since the battle with Saphiron. Looking down at his body, Jon found that he was still wearing the clothes that he had been wearing since his capture. The thought made him grimace. _If Lady Catelyn saw me now, I can only imagine what she would have to say about the dirty bastard._

At a sedated pace that Jon assumed to be the old maester's normal speed, Jon followed the man through the deserted corridors of the Shadow Tower. The dust that had settled on the floor of the vast majority of the various corridors that they passed made Jon realize just how much of the castle had been left unattended due to the lack of men in the fortress.

Jon was broken from his thoughts as the pair arrived at what he assumed to be the Commander's chambers. Though they were not as impressive as the lord's chambers in Winterfell, there was still a dignity to the chambers that Jon had come to associate with the air of command.

Maester Mullin cleared his throat to get the attention of Ser Denys, who was seated at a large desk focused on a letter that was laid out in front of him. Upon hearing the sound, the commander raised his head and beckoned the pair into his chambers.

"I'm glad to see you up and about again, Jon Snow." The man said as he scanned Jon from head to toe. "Alyn has told me the part that you played in rescuing him from the clutches of the Cave people and it speaks to your upbringing that you were able to do so in such a state as you arrived."

"I didn't really do that much," Jon attempted to divert some of the embarrassment at having found himself in such a situation in the first place. "If Alyn had not known the layout of the cave, it is likely I'd have either gotten lost or gotten caught if I had managed to free myself in the first place without him there."

Shadow Tower's commander paused when Jon mentioned that Alyn was familiar with the layout of the cave but he did not voice his thoughts on the matter. "Well then, you should both count your good fortunes, it seems."

"Aye, ser," Jon agreed readily. "You have my gratitude for the potion and for the hospitality but need to return to Winterfell. I do not wish to be any more of a burden to the Nights Watch. If it pleases you, I will ride out on the horse that I had taken from the Cave People."

"The horse is yours, as is your choice to return to Winterfell," Ser Denys confirmed. "Before you do, I strongly encourage you to consider taking the vow and make the Nights Watch your home. As you have surely started to see, life can be difficult for a bastard south of the Wall. As a man of the Watch, you would have the chance to rise as high as any man despite your parentage."

"I would be lying if I said that I hadn't considered doing that more than once in the past after talking to Uncle Benjen about what he had seen beyond the Wall while he was out ranging." Jon admitted as his eyes made their way to a window that looked out over the vast wilderness north of the Wall. "Maybe someday I will return to the Wall and say the words. Right now, my place is at Winterfell with my family and I must return to them."

Ser Denys nodded in understanding before replying. "Remember that there will always be a place among the Wall for one who can escape the Cave People while a poison flows through his veins."

"You have my gratitude Ser Denys." Jon voiced his appreciation again. "I would ride today if possible."

"I thought that may be your intention. Alyn and a handful of other men will be riding for a village some twenty miles south of the Wall that was reportedly attacked by a group of Wildlings that managed to slip through the gorge. They can escort you that far but after that you will need to continue the rest of the way on your own." The commander turned his attention back to the letter that he had received. "Maester Mullin, please show Jon to the training grounds. By my estimate, that group should be ready to leave. I had instructed them to wait until midday on the chance that you would wake up today."

The maester was used to the commander's usual method of dismissing people after a conversation ended so he merely nodded and gestured with a wave of his arm for Jon to leave the room. The two took their leave and walked through the corridors in silence until they came to a large door that the Maester pushed open with a grunt of exertion.

After leaving the Shadow Tower, it was only a few more minutes before the two arrived at the stables where a group of eleven men stood in dark leathers ad dark furs with either tall spears or two-handed battle axes. Among the group, Jon saw that Alyn was the exception in his choice of weapon. Unlike the other brothers from Shadow Tower, Alyn had a sword strapped to his hip.

Again, the maester announced his presence by clearing his throat which caused the group to look at him. "As you lot already know, Jon Snow will be traveling with you to the village before continuing south to Winterfell. See to it that no harm comes to him as it is likely that his father, Lord Eddard Stark will be riding north to meet him once the raven arrives at Winterfell with word that his son has appeared at the Wall."

Alyn and the rest of the men nodded at the maester's words but it was Alyn who spoke. "We'll see the lordling south as charged."

This confirmation seemed to be what the maester was waiting for as he nodded before making his way back to the Shadow Tower. The men started to make their way to their horses as the maester walked away and Jon realized that he ought to do the same if he was to avoid being left behind.

"Sure you can ride, boy?" one of the men with a large scar marring the left side of his face with only one eye asked while implying his doubt. "We were charged with getting you south and it won't do to have you falling off your horse every few leagues."

Jon was about to answer when Alyn surprised him by speaking up. "He can ride in his sleep. He shouldn't have any problem keeping up with us while he's awake."

"What is it we have here?" A man with a permanent sneer that would make Theon envious asked, his tone laden with derision. "Has our Alyn fallen in love with the damsel that he saved from the Cave People?"

"Or was it the other way around?" A man with beady eyes and rotting teeth questioned with a strong undertone of implication. "The way I heard it, Lord Snow was the one to rescue Alyn from the Cave People. Who knows what caves they explored while making their escape?"

"Would Alyn Ryswell forsake his vows for a pretty little thing like Lord Snow?" Another man asked rhetorically while clearly enjoying the sight of Jon and Alyn getting worked up. "Well he is not disagreeing with the claim, so I suppose it is possible."

This time, Jon beat Alyn with his response. "Nothing of the sort happened between me and Alyn. As for you lot, it makes sense that you would swear off the company of women to live among men if that is your preference."

 _ **Speech: Taunt +500**_

"I wouldn't lay with a man, no matter how pretty he may be, Alyn exclaimed while casting a murderous glare at his brothers and finally settling on Jon. "I did what I had to do to survive. I would have made it out of that cave even without the help of a green boy like you."

Jon was slightly taken aback by Alyn turning on him in such a way. "I may not have as much experience as you lot but let's not forget that it was me that managed to free you from your bindings."

"What's done is done," a man, who appeared to be one of the youngest there with wavy brown hair, stated to close the matter. "We were charged with escorting Jon Snow to the village. Let's make haste so we can see for ourselves if the rumor of Wildlings kidnapping villagers is true."

The reminder of the reason for the journey south was sufficient to put the matter to rest as the men mounted their horses. Jon sought out his horse, which was one of the few horses in the stables without a rider, and put his hand out to let the horse know that he meant it no harm. The horse pressed its snout against Jon's palm which was taken to be a sign that the horse had accepted him as a rider.

Jon smiled while admiring the horse's dark brown coat in the light. While it was not so dark that it could have been mistaken for black in the sun, the bay coloring along its head and body gave way to the inky black hair from joint to hoof on its leg. Fortunately someone had saw fit to saddle the horse while Jon was in the Shadow Tower so it was a simple matter of mounting the horse and grabbing the reigns for him to fall into rank with the men leaving the Shadow Tower.

15-15-15-15-15

After the initial confrontation, the men had fallen silent during the journey with the exception of occasional whispers between Alyn and the men that were so vocal about their misgivings about Jon. The journey passed by monotonously but much more quickly than Jon had expected.

From his previous experiences in the Wolfswood and north of the Wall, he expected to be notified that the group had entered a spawning zone as soon as they left the Shadow Tower. Despite his expectations, the warning never appeared.

The position of the sun in the sky told Jon that roughly two hours had passed since the group had departed. _By my estimates, we've probably covered just over two leagues. At this pace we won't reach the village until tomorrow unless this group plans to ride through the night._

 _Even though I managed to survive my unexpected trip north of the Wall, there is still much to be done to fulfil the Return to Winterfell quest. I have only two months less the days spent getting south of the Wall to complete all of the quest's objectives. I have to figure out a way to raise all of my magical skills to level 10 and increase my level to 25 by the time I reach Winterfell._

 _I haven't failed a quest yet and I do not intend to do so now. Especially if failing the quest could cause someone I know to have to live a life as a cripple._ With that thought, Jon checked his stats to see how close he was to completing the secondary and tertiary quest objectives. _I have already gotten my Destruction skill to level 11. Alteration is the next closest after warging into Ghost at level 7. That's followed by Restoration, Illusion and Conjuration at levels 5, 4 and 3._

 _So far, I've only been able to raise my Restoration skills in battle when using the magic ward. Warging seems to be an effective way to level my Alteration skill. Now I just need to figure out how to level Conjuration and Illusion and the secondary objective of the Return to Winterfell quest is as good as done._

 _I was able to break an illusion before. Maybe I would be able to cast one if I tried to focus my magic on a specific task. In a way it's odd to that manipulating my magic would be considered as Destruction magic, but I suppose it makes sense as The Black Arts on Trial did show that all magic could be used to cause destruction._

 _Alright, I'll try to focus my magic on one of the trees in the distance to see if I can hide it behind a magical illusion._ Jon looked off into the distance to try to find a tree that could hold his attention in a forest full of similar trees. A few hundred yards from his current position, Jon spotted a tree that he estimated to be twenty feet tall with a larger tree felled and laying across its roots.

Focusing on the tree, he then used Magic Manipulation to send his magic toward the tree while focusing on his intention to make the tree disappear. He felt the drain on is MP immediately but he kept pushing his magic toward the tree while focusing on his desire to make the tree disappear. While it was not the largest tree in the forest by a long shot, it was resisting Jon's efforts to make it disappear.

He had, so far, sunk 50 MP, a quarter of his MP, into his effort but still had not succeeded in his effort. As his MP continued to decrease Jon redoubled his focus on his efforts to make the tree disappear. A caw of the crow in the distance grew Jon's eyes beyond the tree for just a second which is when it happened. As soon as he acknowledged the woody area behind Jon noticed the outline of the tree that he had been focused on begin to waver.

With the small success, Jon tried to go about the task in a different way. While he was still completely devoted in his intent to make the tree disappear, he tried to focus on the scenery behind the tree and making the tree blend into that background rather than simply trying to make the tree disappear. Slowly but surely, the tree seemed to become thinner before vanishing altogether just as Jon's MP had dwindled to a fifth of his full MP capacity.

 _ **Magic Manipulation +1000  
Spell Unlocked! Illusion: Magical Distortion  
Magical Distortion: **__Using magic, blend an object perfectly with other objects in the vicinity to hide it perfectly from the untrained eye. The number of objects that can be placed under a magical distortion vary based on magical reserves and the cost of the magical distortion will vary based on mastery of illusion magic._

Jon did not have the chance to congratulate himself on the feat before the young man with the wavy brown hair, who had spoken up to quell the argument that had broken out amongst the men of the Watch and Jon before they departed from the Shadow Tower, exclaimed in disbelief. "Did anyone else see that? There was a tree standing above that fallen oak just off to the west of our current path that just disappeared!"

"What are you playing at, Rolf?" One of the other men asked, his skepticism at the younger man evident. "Seeing things are you?"

"Of course you would miss something as obvious as a tree disappearing, Ronas." The young man, who had been identified as Rolf, answered the man with a large scar marring the left side of his face with only one eye who had questioned Jon's ability to ride earlier. "That one eye of yours doesn't make you much of a ranger these days."

"That may be true," the one-eyed Ronas acknowledged. "At least I don't feel the need to pretend to see things disappearing to draw attention to myself."

"I have no desire to draw the attention of the like of you upon myself," Rolf argued fervently. "I know what I saw and I know what I don't see anymore. Just because you can't see what is clearly in front of you doesn't mean that it wasn't there."

"Right, Rolfie," the man with beady eyes and rotting teeth agreed sarcastically. "Even if your two eyes can see better than the singular eye of Ronas Payne, you can't claim that your eyes are better than mine. As you know, my name is Warne Stally and my houses words are Our Eyes Are Open."

"Just because your eyes are open, it doesn't mean that you are using them to pay attention to the thing in front of you," Rolf countered as his head turned to allow him to sneer at Warne. "It's no wonder that you were sent to the Wall in favor of your younger brother."

Ronas bristled at the insult momentarily before responding. "It is well known that I came to be at the Wall by my own choice. Can you say the same Rolf Stone, bastard of the Vale?"

"My choices bear no consequence on my ability to see what is clearly before me," Rolf bristled. "Nor does my relation to the Vale affect how I see what is clearly before my eyes."

Jon felt bad that Rolf was getting flak due to the results of his actions so he focused on a tree that he was sure both Rolf and Ronas would be able to see that was both slightly smaller and quite a bit closer than the first tree that he had caught in the Magical Distortion. Just as before Jon pushed his magic while repeating the process that allowed him to hide the initial tree from view.

It could have been because of the size or it could have been due to the fact that his target was much closer, Jon did not know for sure, but, using his remaining MP, Jon was able to cast a Magical Distortion on the tree causing it to fade from view and causing the men who had been arguing to stop short and their mouths to gape.

 _ **Illusrion: Magical Distortion +1000**_

"Seven hells," Warne exclaimed as his beady eyes seemed to bulge from his head. "Rolf spoke true, the forest is disappearing."

"We must push harder to get away from this accursed place," Ronas declared while he gave his horse a quick clip with his legs that the horse took as a sign to increase his speed. "If you lot aren't fools then you would do well to pick up the pace also."

The other men kept quiet but they did as Ronas instructed. With renewed vigor and intent, the men pushed through the forest and the argument was all but forgotten. They kept up the pace for, what Jon estimated to be, a league before the horses' exhaustion started to show and the galloping gave way to an exhausted trot.

"We've pushed the horses too hard," the man with the permanent sneer broke the silence with this observation. "They won't be going much faster than this unless we give them some time to rest."

"As much as I hate to agree with him, Nelsor is right," Alyn stated plainly. "We should stop to give the horses time to rest if we want to stay on pace to make it to the village by nightfall."

"Let's keep going a bit further before stopping," Alyn suggested while looking southwest of their current position. "By my reckoning, there should be a stream about a mile or two in that direction that would provide drink from the horses without emptying our flasks."

The group agreed and continued in the direction that Alyn had specified without argument. After spooking the Brothers of the Nights Watch when he made the first two trees disappear, Jon was not in a hurry to repeat the feat in present company.

 _Even if it didn't scare the men of the Watch when I hid the trees with Magical Distortion earlier, I don't have the MP to cast anything right now. Jon pulled his stats and considered a new trait that he had overlooked earlier. Mysticism: Allows recovery of MP at a rate equal to your current level per minute outside of combat. Right now my Mysticism perk only recovers 6 MP per minute. If I want to be able to cast spells more frequently, I'll need to raise my Intelligence._

 _I know that I can raise Intelligence by reading; my experience with the Learning with Luwin quest proved as much. I'm not one for betting but I would bet that intelligence works the same way as my Strength and Endurance when it comes to my stats. If I can raise those stats by physical acts, then I should be able to raise my intelligence by mental acts._

 _Since Mysticism is listed with Intelligence, then maybe casting magic will count towards using Intelligence in the same way that reading does. It would make perfect sense, I'll treat magic like a muscle and I can make it stronger by using it more often._

"There's the stream," Alyn called, bringing Jon out of his thoughts. "When we get there we can dismount and give the horses some rest after this morning's ride."

The stream was unremarkable. It was small, flowing from the north with a three foot bank on either side that seemed to indicate how much it would expand when the northern snows were melting and it was flowing at its thickest. Their approach wasn't particularly clear of the foliage that was typical of this forest but, from their vantage point, they could see a good sized clearing on their side of the stream about 100 yards south of their current position.

Taking an angle towards the clearing, the men made it to the river in about a minute and proceeded to dismount, allowing the horses to drink or graze as they would. The men also took their rations of hard bread and salted meat after dismounting.

 _It's so peaceful in this part of the wood,_ Jon thought to himself as he listened to the quiet babbling of the stream as it flowed. _I can scarcely imagine how many other places, like this, exist in the world that have rarely been seen by human eyes._

 _ **Warning: You have entered the spawn zone, The Forest of Brandon's Gift. In The Forest of Brandon's Gift, you will encounter various creatures capable of causing physical damage. The unwary traveler will find himself falling prey to the numerous predators large and small that claim The Forest of Brandon's Gift as their home. It is recommended that characters below level 15 travel in parties to better combat the various enemies that may be encountered.**_

Jon waved the warning away quickly and turned his attention to the brothers of the Nights Watch who were milling about the clearing after they had finished tending to their horses. One of the men had finished drinking his canteen and walked to the stream to refill the empty vessel. The man bent to dip his canteen in the water with his right hand while whistling a tune that Jon could not place and Jon's attention moved away to look into the activities of the other men.

Jon witnessed Alyn and one of the men that had not yet been identified playing a game where they would pound their fists into their palms three times before folding out either a flattened hand, a closed fist or two fingers in an approximation of scissors. In the first round Alyn crushed his opponent's scissors with his closed fist. In the next round, his opponent covered his fist with his open palm causing Alyn to clench his jaw in frustration. In the third round, Alyn got his revenge as he pretended to cut his opponent's open hand with the scissors he had formed with his fingers while letting out a cry of victory.

To Jon's surprise, there was another shout from the direction of the stream at the same time. He quickly unsheathed his sword as his head jerked in that direction. It was to his dismay that he saw the man who had been filling his canteen in a seated position on the ground holding the stump of his right hand, which had previously been holding his canteen. Between the man, the stream and his arm was the largest crab that Jon had ever seen. From his perspective it looked as if it would be at least waist high if Jon made the poor decision to get close.

 _ **Quest Alert!  
Mollifying the mudcrabs. Defeat the highly territorial amphibious creatures that would expel you from their lands.  
Rewards for completion: Gain an ally amongst the Nights Watch.50,000 Experience.  
Penalty for failure: Increased dislike by surviving Nights Watchmen potentially crippling injury.  
**_

Even though he recognized that getting close was a bad decision, Jon was intent on doing just that. He closed the distance between him and the crab that had been camouflaged by the mud on its tough outer shell. Since the men did not expect an attack, they were not prepared to react in the way that Jon had. With his peripheral vision, he noted several were running to their horses to pull their swords from their sheathes and help their brother.

Jon reached the downed man who was holding what remained of his forearm while staring at the stump in a state of shock. Thanking the gods that the crab did not take advantage of the man's prone position to attack, Jon maneuvered himself in between the man and the crustacean with his sword held at the ready in a two-handed grip.

The crab apparently took Jon's appearance and posture as a challenge as it began to scuttle forward to attack, its hard shell causing a clicking sound with each movement. As it got closer Jon lashed out with a heavy two-handed strike that met the crab's advancing claw. The weapon was not able to penetrate the crab's think exoskeleton but Jon succeeded in knocking the claw away from his body and turning it in such a way that he had an unobstructed view of its shell.

In quick succession, he landed blow after blow until the crab's thick shell cracked and its legs gave way causing it to fall to the ground. Though Jon was reasonable sure that the crab was out of action, he plunged his sword into the fleshy opening that had appeared when the shell cracked. He did not have any time to celebrate his victory as he heard the same clicking sound that the crab had made coming at him from each side as he faced the river.

Whipping his head to the left and the right, Jon confirmed that a pair of mudcrabs was closing in on him from either side. He briefly saw Rolf approaching the crab to his right and decided to trust the man to, at least, distract that mudcrab while he took care of the one on the left. Similarly to the first crab, Jon launched a heavy two-handed blow to knock its attacking claw away before launching a salvo of swings at its shell.

Again, he was able to break the shell before impaling the exposed innards of the creature. As soon as the creature collapsed, Jon turned his attention to the mudcrab that had left to Rolf. Even though the man was not able to dispatch the creature in the way that Jon had, twice previously, he had done a good enough job of holding its attention to keep it off of Jon.

Jon leapt forwards towards the crab with a massive overhead swing and succeeded in creaking through the tough outer shell before raising his sword above his head again and slamming down to impale the sea creature.

"Good work, greenie," Rolf commented, unable to contain the surprise that Jon had been able to assist him in combat. "Though it looks like we'll be able to see how good you are with a sword very soon."

Jon made to reply but stopped when he the clicking sound resumed with a, previously unmatched intensity, intensity from the river. Jon whipped his head around and saw no less than twenty of the crabs scuttling forward to attack him, Rolf and the injured member of the Nights Watch.

Fortunately, the other members of the traveling party had found their weapons and had made their way to the banks of the stream. Unfortunately, they were still outnumbered almost two to one since the inured member of the Nights Watch seemed to have passed out from the shock of his amputation.

In an instant, the banks of the stream had erupted into a battleground. Jon and the men of the Nights Watch surged forward to meet their attackers. Even though Jon would have liked to observe the battles taking place between the men and their respective adversaries, he saw the damage that a single crab could cause to a man. He attacked with the same strategy that had served him faithfully during his battle with the previous mudcrabs and attacked with a massive two handed strike, Unlike before, Jon channeled electricity into his blade while launching his attack.

The empowered strike cleaved right through the mudcrab's exoskeleton and dropped it where it stood. Instead of celebrating his accomplishment, Jon turned to the nearest crab that was not engaged with one of the members of the Nights Watch and attacked with an electrified slash. Again, the slash cut through the tough exterior and dropped the creature where it stood.

Jon cut through six more crabs with his electrifies slashes before he ran out of MP and was forced to result to more traditional attacks. Still, his efforts had managed to turn the tides of battle for the men of the Nights Watch. Without the threat of being overwhelmed by the superior numbers of their opponents, the men of the Nights Watch were holding their own while inflicting damage on their foes.

While Jon noticed that several of the members of the Nights Watch had been able to defeat their foes, he also noticed that the men that he had not yet learned the names of seemed to be struggling against their foes. Alyn, Nelsor, Rolf, Ronas, and Warne moved to assist their struggling comrades.

Unwilling to wait for the men of the Nights Watch to take down their foes and move on to the final three mudcrabs, Jon moved to meet the challenge by himself. His original attack strategy proved to be equally effective against the final three mudcrabs and he was able to slay them in quick succession.

After taking down the last of the mudcrabs, Jon was relieved that he did not hear the clicking sound that he would always associate with attacking mudcrabs .Though the air was absent of the clicking sound, an ominous warble filled the air as a somewhat humanoid figure rose from the water.

 _ **Two-Handed +12,100  
Destruction: Sparks +4,000**_

* * *

 **AN2: I hope you enjoyed. Please review if you have a constructive criticism and would like to see another chapter in the near future. I'm aiming for another 80k words by the premier date (7/16/17) for the next season. Positive reviews will definitely hep me get there. :-)**


	16. SR016

**AN: Again, thank you to Reviewer543 for your input on the story. You add the shine, friend. Also thanks to all who have reviewed, followed and favorited. If I don't respond to your review directly, I definitely try to take any suggestions that make the story into account when writing new chapters. Read and review then make another account and review again. Enjoy!**

* * *

The figure rising from the water appeared to stand on two legs, though Jon could not yet see its feet. Instead of hair, a dome like shell spanned over its head and shoulders. It had no neck, red eyes and a vertical slit for a mouth with sharp teeth lining the sides with no nose.

It was deeply wrinkled with a fleshy, pink substance connecting its gruesome face directly to its chest. The monster's chest was similar to the underside of a crab with a tough looking exoskeleton that tapered down to a small waist and a pointed tail which submerged into the water. Unlike its crustacean brethren, its shoulders and upper arms resembled those of a man save for the greyish-brown shell covering that protected all but a small area where the bicep connected to the shoulder and at the elbow.

As if the fanged mouth and the exoskeleton were not enough, the monster also had huge pincers that extended from the elbow that were large enough to easily fit a man's neck with room to spare, at least until they clamped shut.

The creature raised its arms, snapping it's pincers with sharp clicks while bellowing a warbling call. One of the brothers of the Nights Watch screamed in terror, causing the beast to turn its body to the sound before setting off at a speed that belied its size. In five steps, spanning almost twenty yards, the beast closed the distance between him and the man, revealing similarly armored legs and two-pronged appendages in place of feet.

Based on the man's height, Jon estimated that it must stand at least nine feet tall. The creature bellowed again and struck out with one of its pincers before the man could reach its body with his sword. The pincer closed around the man's throat in an instant and proceeded to cut through the man's spine, not showing the slightest sight of slowing due to resistance.

The creature bellowed another roar in challenge to those that had dared trespass on its domain. Though the men were clearly shaken, their training and experience showed as they seemed to regroup following their comrades death as they formed up and faced the monster as a group. The creature charged at them, Jon set off in chase and the men shouted in defiance as they launched themselves at the creature that had killed one of their own.

The creature's bulk and momentum was enough to break the makeshift ranks that the brothers had formed but they had managed to evade the charge without suffering damage. Swords were slashing but they were not able to penetrate the beast's exoskeleton. Swinging one of its arms, the creature was able to throw back Alyn, Rolf and another man leaving only Warne, Nelsor and Ronas on their own to defend against the onslaught.

Ronas was able to block the incoming strike from a pincer with his sword which was ripped from his grasp and discarded before a kick from one of the creature's pronged feet caused him to soar backward through the air almost three yards before he landed heavily in a heap upon the ground. While this was happening Warne slashed at the creature's other arm and managed to lodge his sword between the plates on the creature's shoulder and the plate covering its bicep which caused it to bellow in rage before swatting Warne away with its injured arm, leaving only Nelsor standing between the creature and his fallen brothers.

Nelsor braced himself to make a stand just as Jon made it into range to launch an attack. _I've seen enough attacks fail to damage the creature due to its thick hide. The only attack that seemed to cause it any harm was when Warne managed to strike an area that was not protected by the thick exoskeleton. If I want to make it out of here with my life, I'll need to find a way to get my sword into those sections of its body._

Jon swung his sword with a mighty two-handed blow at the fleshy gap that presented itself at the intersection of the monster's hip and leg. Though the creature's lunge at Nelsor closed the gap that Jon was aiming for, it opened a new gap in the exoskeleton on the other side of the joint only a couple inches down from Jon's initial target. Though Jon was able to cut into the vulnerable flesh while pulling his sword back from his initial slash, the wound that he caused was far from debilitating.

Again, the creature bellowed in rage as it quickly turned from Nelsor and attempted to backhand Jon as it had done with Warne only moments before. Fortunately, Jon had anticipated this response and he was able to dodge the incoming blow. As Jon dodged the blow, Nelsor learned from his example and lashed out against the two vulnerable points at the juncture of the creature's legs.

Just as Jon had done before, Nelsor was able to land a strike against the creature's exposed flesh causing it to bellow and lash out against him with a massive backhand swing of its pincer. While Jon did not hear anything to make him think that the blow had landed, he did not have time to focus on Nelsor's actions. Instead, Jon raised his sword above his head with both hands before chopping down with his sword and causing it to lodge in the fleshy area between the bottom of the ball-like joint and the exoskeleton covering of its left thigh.

While the creature again bellowed in pain, this time its movements were slightly slowed allowing Jon to easily dodge the backhand swing that came his way in response. However, the ease of the dodge left Jon open to the mighty kick that crashed into his chest.

It was like all of the air was pressed from his body as Jon flew backward before landing in a heap on the ground. While reeling from the force of the blow, Jon noted that the creature had started to advance upon him before letting out another enraged roar when Nelsor duplicated Jon's feat. Even though his body protested, Jon pushed his body from the ground and regained his footing as he recognized that letting any of these men face this beast alone would surely result in their deaths.

Not ready for man's life to weigh on his conscience, Jon took a deep breath and rallied himself to fight again. Fortifying himself for the battle's continuation, Jon moved as stealthily as he could to put himself in position behind the beast as it towered over Nelsor.

With all the force that he could muster, Jon launched his sword in a two-handed slash at the creature's knee while channeling lightning through his blade. The attack struck true and Jon's sword cut cleanly through the joint, causing the creature to topple to its side. Down, but far from out, the creature roared and tried to strike Jon on its way to the ground. Expecting the blow and confident that the creature would not be able to follow up with only one leg, Jon ducked the blow while stepping back to observe his downed opponent.

Though its maneuverability was severely diminished with the removal of the limb, Jon refused to make the mistake of considering the threat to have been neutralized. Instead, he circled around the creature quickly and brought his sword down on the fleshy joint of the other knee that was fully exposed as the creature attempted to prop itself up on its remaining limbs. The creature seemed to realize what Jon was attempting to do as it raised its tail parallel to the ground while thrusting backwards violently.

Jon was narrowly able to avoid the pointed tip of the thrusted tail by throwing himself to the side and rolling back to his feet. After regaining his footing, Jon took stock of the situation. _With its pincers in the dirt its attack options seem to be limited to its tail. If I can avoid the tail until I can take out the arms and other leg then I should be able to put this monster down._

Again, Jon lined up behind the creature, intent upon taking out its remaining leg. This time, he was prepared for the thrust of its tail and deflected with a mighty upswing of his sword. The deflection caused the creature to pause momentarily which gave Jon the time he needed to swing his blade, which had been strengthened by the magical properties of lightning, through the creature's remaining knee with a mighty two-handed swing.

The creature collapsed to the ground with a thud and Jon backed away several steps to make sure that he was no at risk from the still very dangerous claws. Chancing a look at the downed members of the Nights Watch, Jon saw several pairs of glassy eyes looking at him in disbelief.

Not wanting to give the creature ay chance to regain the initiative in its injured state, Jon ignored the men who were either unable or unwilling to come to his aid and turned his attention back to the downed beast.

 _Now that it has to drag its body through the soil with its pincers, the creature has no way to attack with its tail and any attempts to strike with those pincers would be easily detected and evaded._ Jon thought while maneuvering himself to stand in front of the beast.

After losing the use of its legs, the creature was left in a prone position with its pincers in the dirt in order to support its heavy torso. Jon inched forward with the intention to dismember the creature further by removing its pincers but he was forced to jump backwards when it suddenly pushed against the ground to propel its body forward while throwing its claws in Jon's direction in an attempt to subdue the enemy that had caused so much damage to its body.

Although Jon was able to avoid the attack, he was once again out of range to attack the wounded creature. Sweeping around the creature, Jon positioned himself on the creature's right side and raised his sword again before leaping forward, channeling electricity and bringing his sword down on the exposed joint that connected the remainder of the creature's right leg to its body.

The creature did not have the maneuverability at that point to evade the blow and Jon's aim was true as he severed the remaining portion of its right leg. The creature bellowed impotently but Jon was already moving again. He was sure to keep out of range of the tail, in case the creature threw its body backwards in an attempt to impale him with its tail. In seconds, he was on the creature's left side as he repeated the electrified two-handed strike to remove the remaining portion of its left leg.

Again the creature roared in pain and rage but its roar did nothing to take Jon's attention off of the pincers which were still more than capable of putting an end to his existence if he let his guard down in a careless attack. Focused on not giving it such an opportunity, Jon once again moved to face the creature just outside of what expected to be its attack range based on its previous lunge.

This time, Jon decided to try a different tactic. He inched forward in an attempt to god the creature to attack. Like a fish from the water it had come from, the creature took the bait and sprang forward in an attempt to sink its pincers into its adversary. Jon stepped to the right, allowing the attack to pass by harmlessly while raising his sword and cleaving down in another electrified, two-handed slash.

Smirking with satisfaction, Jon removed the creature's left pincer causing it to crash into the ground. Seizing the initiative, Jon Jon slashed out at the joint of the creature's remaining limb but his attack bounced off the thick armor as it began to thrash and inch towards the water.

Though Jon was fairly certain that it would not gain an advantage if it was able to reach the water, he was not willing to take the risk. Again and again, he hacked at the pincer until one of his strikes found its target. The creature's remaining pincer fell to the ground causing it to thrash madly in a desperate attempt to traverse the distance to the water. Jon moved to its side and used the momentum from its thrashing to kick it over so it was lying on its back with a look of pure rage in its eyes.

Jon put one foot on the creature's chest to still the shaking beast before raising his sword in both hands and channeling enough of the electric magic to cause sparks to dance across the blade before slamming it down and piercing the beast's mouth. For a long minute, the creature continued to thrash but those movements became further and further apart until, finally, it was still.

 _ **Quest Complete!  
Mollifying the mudcrabs. Defeat the highly territorial amphibious creatures that would expel you from their lands.  
Rewards for completion: Gain an ally amongst the Nights Watch.50,000 Experience.**_

 _ **Two-Handed +4,700  
Evasion +2,100  
Light Armor +500  
Stealth +500  
Destruction: Sparks +6,000  
Blocking +500**_

Jon took knee next to the creature and tried to be discreet as he checked for loot he was please to find that accessing the inventory of the Mirelurk seemed to give him access to the inventories of the mudcrabs that the group had managed to take down earlier.

 _ **Gold (50)  
Mirelurk shield: +35 Defense, +20% resistance to physical damage  
Mirelurk Chiton: Very rare, seen as a collector's item by those who know what a formidable enemy a mirelurk is to those who venture into their domain (2)  
Mudcrab chiton: Common item for those who travel the wetlands of Westeros. (20)**_

* * *

The afternoon found the Warden of the North, Eddard Stark, in his solar responding to a letter that had arrived from King Robert Baratheon. In the letter the king had plainly stated that his party had been delayed when they were feasting at the Twins when a young lad, no older than Robb, presented himself, claiming that he could do magic.

Ned shook his head at the thought but he remembered whispers of magic about the Targaryans he had heard in his youth that told of their arcane abilities. Surely, taming dragons and having the ability to resist, and sometimes even control, fire had their roots in the arcane arts that had allowed the smiths of Valyria to form Valyrian before the doom took Valyria.

Ned's hand absently moved to rest on the pommel of Ice on his hip as he stood from his desk and walked out of the chamber. Still musing over thoughts of magic, Ned's feet took him through the corridors of Winterfell at a brisk pace. While he was sure to acknowledge the courtesies of the staff, he did not allow himself stray from the path he had inadvertently set for himself.

His path had led him to stand in front of an old and heavy ironwood door that would open to reveal one of the places that Ned truly felt he could contemplate his circumstances without the weight of all those who depended on him for their livelihoods. Step by step, Ned made his way down the narrow and winding spiral stone staircase that would take him to the Crypt of Winterfell.

Reaching the bottom of the staircase, Ned walked through the line of granite pillars that were set in pairs to direct visitors to the first section of the crypt where his ancestors for thousands of years had been put to rest. The oldest tombs were the first that he encountered as the crypt forced any who dared to enter to pay their respects to the most ancient of the Starks before reaching the tombs of the more recent ancestors.

The air in the crypt seemed to have been chilled by the solemn presence of the ancient Kings of Winter that had ruled over the entirety of the North from their seat at Winterfell. Ned gazed upon his ancestors with reverence as he continued through the crypt to his destination. The large stone direwolves curled at the feet of the Kings of Winter shifted Ned's thoughts from magic to thoughts of the children and their direwolves.

As Ned reached the bust of Lyanna Stark, his thoughts had turned to Jon.

"I've kept my promise, Lyanna," Ned started. "Our home has been livelier all these years because of that promise. Even though things did not quite go the way that I expected at first, I think you would have approved of recent developments. The ruby held its power even after its fire was extinguished and it seems to be every bit as potent as it was when it glowed red and stole your attention from your intended."

Ned fell silent as his thoughts drifted back to the Tower of Joy. He thought of the men that had died there. He thought of the men he had killed there. He thought of Ser Arthur Dayne and Howland Reed. He thought of the last time he saw his sister and the words they exchanged.

"Jon is gone. He disappeared two days ago when a flash of light swept through Winterfell. He has become strong enough to fend for himself but I will do everything in my power to see him safely returned home," Ned muttered. "If Robert's recent letter is to be believed the he has encountered a lad who claims to be able to do magic after the pulse took Jon from Winterfell. If Robert's words are true then I believe magic to be the reason that Jon is no longer here with us at Winterfell. If he keeps growing, as he has over the last two months then I may be able to tell him…"

Ned's voice died in his throat when he heard the unmistakable sound of feet scuffling along the twin pillar path that would bring the visitor to the bust of Lyanna Stark, and her big brother Ned.

"Lord Stark," the wheezy voice of Maester Luwin asked. "There's been a raven from the Shadow Tower. Ser Denys Mallister reports that Jon was brought before him by one of his men at midday yesterday and is riding south with some of the men of the Watch."

"Ser Denys Mallister has not contacted us in all of the years that he has had command of the Shower Tower. If he says that Jon was at the Shadow Tower and is riding south then we will send riders north at once to bring him back to Winterfell," Ned declared resolutely. "A Stark's place is always at Winterfell. Jon is no exception."

"As you wish my lord," the maester agreed. "I will make your command known."

"No. If not for King Robert's imminent arrival, I would go myself to retrieve Jon," Ned reasoned. "With the pending arrival of the king, I will have to select the group to fetch Jon from the Wall."

-16-16-16-

After the battle with the Mirelurk half of the men had turned back to the Shadow Tower either out of necessity or with the goal of protecting their injured brothers. Jon was left with Alyn, Nelsor, the young and observant Rolf Stone, one-eyed Ronas Payne and beady eyed Warne Stally when the others departed.

The now diminished party was able to make good time to the village with the reduced numbers despite the generally low morale caused by over half of their party making a hasty retreat to the Shadow Tower. The village was much smaller from Wintertown from what Jon saw. As the town was coming into view, Jon saw four structures. To the left was a large wooden building that looked to have survived many harsh winters.

Immediately to its left was another wooden building that was smaller but had a large staircase that would allow access to a large number of people to the second floor without having to enter the first floor. The third structure was largest of all, though it still paled in comparison to Winterfell, with a flag that waved a four-pointed star that would not have been out of place pointing the four cardinal directions on a map. The last of the four in the foreground was separated from the other three by almost forty yards, by Jon's estimation, and it was another cottage-like dwelling.

Through the gap in the structures, Jon could see seven of the smaller wooden cabins forming a semicircle on the east side of a body of water that the village seemed to be built around with a small dock and a boat resting on the quiet water. Though it was still relatively early in the afternoon, there was none of the hustle and bustle that Jon had come to expect of towns from his, admittedly limited, experiences in Wintertown after dark.

The sight of the village would have been reassuring for Jon had it not been for the fires that were burning and the men and women who were running through the town, attacking men who held shields bearing the same four-pointed star symbol that Jon saw on the flag waving above the largest of the village's buildings.

Jon and the remaining men of the Nights Watch drew their swords and urged their horses to go faster. While Jon was intent on pushing his horse to go faster to help the villagers fend off their attackers, he could not help but notice the quest alert when it appeared.

 _ **Quest Alert!  
Village Vigilante: Defend the village of Dawnstar against the Wildling invaders that seek to enslave the men and do worse to the women.  
Rewards for completion: Fealty of Dawnstar, information about ? and 100,000 Experience.  
Penalty for failure: Fall of Dawnstar and failure of Return to Winterfell Quest.**_

Jon shook his head with a grim expression on his face as he accepted the quest and drew his sword. As he rode through the large gap between the third and fourth buildings that were closest to him, Jon cut a bloody path through the men and women who were laying siege to the village.

By his count, Jon's sword slashed thirteen times while he held the reins in his other hand to keep control of his horse. Though every strike did not immediately result in death, the men who were following behind him were quick to take advantage of their downed enemies. As Jon and the brothers of the Nights Watch made their way through the enemies on the outskirts of the village, they drew the attention of those that were attacking the cabins that overlooked the water.

One of them threw a spear at Jon's horse that fell short by mere inches before embedding in the ground, causing his horse to rear up and throw it from its back and making him fall hard to his back on the ground. The impact forced the air from his lungs but on was not willing to succumb to the darkness that threatened to take his vision. Instead, Jon grit his teeth and charged at the enemy on foot.

As he charged, he was met by a man who swung an axe with the intent to remove Jon's head from his shoulders. Jon ducked under the sweeping blow and stabbed his sword into the man with his right hand as he grabbed hold of the axe with his left hand. Wielding both weapons, Jon didn't stop at the first man. He pushed forward and found himself surrounded by a group of Wildlings who looked like they would enjoy nothing more than cutting Jon down where he stood.

In seconds, Jon's world became a flurry of weapons. He blocked and dodged incoming attacks while finding gaps in his enemies' defenses to launch his own attacks with both of his weapons. The strength of the Wildlings was on another level compared to the recruits that Jon usually trained with but, by reinforcing his weapons with the Magic Ward, he was able to cut his way through the throng of enemies to stand alone, facing down a large man with a huge beard who was unnecessarily shirtless in the northern climate and brandishing the largest axe that Jon had ever seen.

While Jon was reluctant to face such a foe, he knew that, with the powers granted to him by the Stargaryan Ring, he was better suited to meet such a challenge than the brothers that he was traveling with. He would try his best and hope that the others would reach him soon to provide additional support.

The brute heaved his axe above his head before slamming it toward the ground in an attempt to bisect Jon. Though the sight was intimidating, Jon was not paralyzed with fear. He side stepped neatly before stabbing with his sword and slashing with the axe that he had acquired.

 _ **One-Handed +3,300  
Evasion +3,900  
Blocking +1,400  
Restoration: Magic Ward +1,400**_

* * *

Robb and Theon were in the training yard practicing at swords under Ser Rodrik Cassels watchful eye when their spar was interrupted by the appearance of the Lord of Winterfell.

"Ser Rodrik, We must have words," Robb's father declared in a tone that left no room for argument. "We have received word of Jon."

"I'm at you service, Lord Stark," Ser Rodrik vowed. "If there has been word of Jon then I would volunteer myself to assist in his retrieval."

"You have my thanks, Ser Rodrik. Gather twenty of the finest men in the guard and take the surest horses in the stable and bring Jon home from the Shadow Tower."

"How the bloody hell did Jon make it all the way to the Wall?" Ser Rodrik's face displayed his incredulity. "It has only been two days since he was last in Winterfell."

"I have my suspicions," the Lord of Winterfell mused. "Though I can't begin to imagine how it would have been possible. Those thoughts can wait until Jon has been safely returned to Winterfell, will you ride?"

"At once my Lord," Ser Rodrik stated as he turned and began to walk to the barracks. "We'll bring Jon home."

"Robb," Ned shifted his focus and addressed his son. "Go tell your brothers and sisters that Jon has been found and will be coming home soon."

"The bastard finally found his place in the world," Theon mused. "We'd be doing everyone a favor if we left him to it and moved on."

"I'll thank you to keep your opinion on the matter to yourself, Theon. Yes, father," Robb answered with a quick glare at his father's ward from the Iron Islands before returning his wooden training sword to the rack and leaving the training area. "Greywind, come let's go find the others."

Robb's direwolf perked up at the sound of his master calling his name and the two of them left the training ground with Greywind's nose to the ground as he tried to pick up a trail of scent that would lead them to their siblings. His tail started to wag and he shot forward when he found what he was looking for causing Robb to have to run to keep up.

Robb had to shake his head and smile at what he saw when Greywind stop at the base of the Broken Tower. Bran's direwolf, which he still had not named, was sitting dutifully with his head raised and his gaze firmly fixed on a figure that has about halfway up the side of the structure.

"Bran," Robb called out. "Get down from there. They found Jon."

"They found Jon?" Bran asked as his progress stopped and he began to descend rapidly. "Where is he? Is he here at Winterfell?"

Robb chose to wait for Bran to reach the ground so he did not have to shout his answer. After a minute of waiting, Bran made it to the ground and joined his brother and their direwolves. "From what father told Ser Rodrik, Jon was at the Shadow Tower. He's sending Ser Rodrik and twenty of the men to bring Jon home."

The joy on Bran's face caused by the notion of Jon coming home was quickly replaced with a look of confusion. "Isn't the Shadow Tower one of the castles on the Wall? How could Jon have gotten to the Wall?"

Robb turned his head to look at the direwolves who had started to playfully wrestle on the ground. "The Shadow Tower is one of castles of the Nights Watch along the Wall. The Wall is too far from Winterfell for Jon to have got there since we last saw him. It doesn't make sense."

Bran frowned at Robb's statement. "What if it had something to do with that light that came through Winterfell? No one wants to talk about it but what if that's the reason that Jon isn't here?"

"I think the light definitely had something to do with Jon disappearing…" Robb trailed off. "Either way, we should let the others know that Jon will be coming home soon. Do you know where the girls are?"

"While I was on the way out, I passed Arya who looked unhappy to have to go do needlework with Septa Mordane and Sansa," Bran answered. "Do you think the Septa will let the girls out so we can tell them about Jon?"

"The Septa serves our Lady mother and, through her, the Lord of Winterfell, if we let her know that we were instructed by father to get the girls then I don't think that there is much she can do besides either appealing to father directly or requesting that mother intervene on her behalf."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Bran asked as he started back towards the castle. "We have to let them know that Jon is ok."

Robb smiled at Bran's enthusiasm. "Right you are. Let's go tell the girls the good news."

The two of them walked in a companionable silence to the castle. The castle grounds were almost completely silent save for the occasional yip rom the direwolves who continued their games under the beaming sun of the north.

When they entered the castle, they moved to the side to allow a group of serving girls with their arms full of fresh linens to pass. After they had allowed the girls to pass, they continued to their destination. When they reached the door to the room that Robb knew Arya despised more than any other in the entirety of Winterfell, Robb raised his hand and knocked sharply three times before he proceeded to open the door.

"Robb!" Arya shouted, her delight at the interruption evident. "Is that Bran with you? Why are you guys here?"

"Arya Stark, behave yourself," the septa scolded. "Lord Robb, please do explain why you have interrupted your sisters' lesson."

"Yes, Septa." Robb remembered the courtesies that the woman had drilled into him over the years. "We were sent by father to get the girls. There has been news of Jon."

"Very well, Lord Robb" the Septa acknowledged. "Girls, you may go."

"Thank you, Septa," Sansa replied while neatly packing away her needle, thread and the fabric that she was sewing into a bag.

Arya was not as careful with her packing efforts. She threw everything in her bag and rushed from her position to stand with her brothers as they waited on Sansa. The eldest daughter of Eddard and Catelyn Stark made her way to her siblings with grace befitting her stature. Following their masters, Lady and Nymeria also picked themselves off the floor and made to leave the room.

"Is it true," she asked timidly. "Have they found Jon?"

"Where is he?" Arya asked. "Is he here?"

"Aye, they've found Jon." Robb answered. "Let's get Rickon before we go into any more detail. I don't want him to feel left out."

"Rickon could be anywhere," Arya complained. "We can tell him later."

"You know that's not what father would want," Robb countered as he began to walk towards the kitchen. "Come on, Rickon loves watching the cooks work. Unless he's with mother, he is probably there."

Arya looked disappointed but did not try to argue the point with Robb. Instead, she followed mutely with a slightly disgruntled look on her face. Sansa also followed but she did not seem quite as put out by Robb's decision to find Rickon before discussing the matter in more detail.

Fortune smiled upon the Stark children when they entered the kitchen. Sitting on the floor, happily eating a buttered roll as his direwolf laid behind him chewing on a bone was their youngest brother Rickon Stark. Upon seeing all his siblings gathered in the kitchen, Rickon squealed in delight as he dropped the roll and launched himself towards Sansa, wrapping his arms around her leg in a hug.

"Good afternoon to you as well, Rickon," Sansa laughed. "Come with us, we have something important to discuss."

"Alright," Rickon chirped happily while taking her hand. "Let's go."

With Rickon in tow, the group made their way to Robb's chambers in an unspoken agreement. Upon reaching his quarters, Robb opened the door and gestured for his siblings and their direwolves to enter the room. Once Shaggydog and Bran's unnamed direwolf had entered into the room while playfully nipping at each other, everyone was inside so Robb closed the door.

As the others took a seat on his bed, Robb moved to stand in front of him. "Father wanted me to tell all of you that Jon has been found at the Shadow tower. Ser Rodrik and twenty of the guard have been tasked with bringing him back to Winterfell."

"We think it was the light that took Jon to the Wall. There has to be a reason that people only talk about what happened in whispers," Bran added. "It's too far for him to have gotten there by horseback otherwise."

"You knew," Arya asked accusingly. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"Easy now, Arya," Robb tried to reassure his younger sister. "We told you as soon as we could have. It would not have been right for us to speculate about such things in front of Septa Mordane."

"If Jon is at the Wall does that mean he's ok?" Sansa asked with a bit of trepidation. "I've heard that recently more and more of the new members of the Nights Watch are criminals that want to escape punishment."

Rob considered her words for a moment before responding. "That may be true but the Nights Watch would never do anything to harm a Stark."

"I just want Jon home," Rickon whined as he threw his arms around Sansa and nuzzled into her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Rickon," Robb said as he moved to put a hand on his brother's head. "Ser Rodrik and the men will not fail in their task. Jon will be back before you know it."

"I hope you're right," Arya stated while rubbing the bicep of her left arm with her right hand. "Winterfell isn't the same without Jon here."

"You've got that right," Robb agreed readily. "Jon has been making a name for himself over the last two months on the training grounds. With him gone, some of the others actually have a chance of winning."

"When Jon gets back, do you think he would teach me how to be a swordsman like him?" Bran asked. "I want to be able to take on two opponents at the same time like he can!"

"I can teach you how to wield a sword if you'd like," Robb offered hoping to get his brother's mind off of Jon's precarious location. "How about we go to the training grounds and get you started this afternoon?"

Bran looked to be considering Robb's words. "I want to train with Jon but I guess you'll do since he isn't here right now."

Robb laughed at Bran's words. "Well I'm glad that I can be of service until Jon gets back and I'm out of the job."

At Robb's unexpected goofiness, the other Stark children burst into laughter with Sansa hiding her amusement behind proper, ladylike giggles. Their mood was optimistic with news that Jon had been found and the he would be coming home soon.

* * *

While Jon succeeded in drawing blood with his attack, it was nowhere near enough to put the brute down. If anything, it seemed that the attack only made him angrier as he hefted his mighty axe and swung repeatedly at Jon, causing him to dip, duck, dive and dodge for his life. As he avoided the attacks, Jon began to notice a pattern in the brute's attack.

Horizontal slash across his body, from left to right. That was followed by the brute raising the axe raised above the head and slamming it down in a mighty vertical slash to cut his foe in half. While he recovered his axe with his right hand, he launched a haymaker that would surely have Jon seeing stars with his left hand before he roared and regrouped.

Jon weaved through the series of attacks before launching his counterattack. His sword struck true and he landed a significant gash on the brute's arm causing the man to bellow in rage before redoubling his efforts to take Jon down. In a battle of pure force, Jon knew that he would not stand a chance against the man but, luckily for him, swords was not all about pure force. Sure, how hard one could swing his sword played a large part in determining who would walk away from a battle but more important was the ability to land strikes against your opponent. This was something that Jon had done successfully twice while his opponent had failed to land any of his mighty blows. Dodging the next series of blows, Jon decided to try a different tactic and channeled frost magic into his blade just before the blow landed on his opponent.

The brute was never fast, by Jon's standard, but the frost-laced attack seemed to make the ma move just a little bit slower. This small advantage was enough to allow Jon to land several more glancing blows against the man and cut his speed by almost a quarter.

The man did not seem to notice the reduction to his speed but he did notice the arrival of the brothers of the Nights Watch.

"Alyn," his deep voice boomed through the chaos of battle. "You have betrayed us and you and your crows will pay!"

 _ **Evasion +1,500  
One Handed +3,000  
Destruction: Frost +2,500**_

* * *

Upon being relieved of her charges, the Septa did the first thing that any self-respecting woman of the faith would do in her position, pray to the Seven that Arya Stark would accept the Mother's embrace and behave herself like a proper lady should. After her quick prayer, she made her way through the corridors of Winterfell looking for the Lady of the castle.

She went through the Great Keep of Winterfell to Lady Catelyn's chambers but did not find her Lady therein. So she went down to the Great Hall and kitchen in succession, continuing her search to no avail. Those were the three most likely places to find the Lady during the day without leaving the Great Keep.

The next most likely places to find her lady were across the courtyard, in the library, in the Glass Garden along the north wall, in the Sept, that Lord Eddard Stark had built when his Lady wife came to Winterfell all those years ago or, though it was less likely, in the Godswood with her Lord husband. Trusting in the power of the Seven, the Septa made her way to Winterfell's Sept.

Her usually stern face broke into a small smile as she found the Lady of Winterfell kneeling in the Sept with her hands clasped and her eyes closed in prayer. Having risen to become a Septa, Mordane knew better than to interrupt someone who was so clearly involved in praying. Instead she chose to wait the few minutes until the Lady had the opportunity to communicate with the Seven and unclasped her hands, beginning to stand, before approaching the Lady of Winterfell.

"Lady Stark," the Septa curtsied while alerting her Lady to her presence. "There has been news of Jon Snow."

"Thank you for coming to me with this, Septa Mordane" Lady Catelyn acknowledged the courtesy with a slow nod of her head. "Please tell me the news."

"I do not have all of the details," the Septa prefaced her words. "However, Lords Robb and Bran were sent by Lord Stark to collect Ladies Sansa and Arya since a raven has arrived with news that Jon Snow had arrived at the Shadow Tower."

"So the bastard has finally realized that he won't gain any favors by staying at Winterfell and threatening my children's succession?" Catelyn mused with a smirk. "Very good. In that case, his decision to take the Black has my full support."

"Pardon me, my Lady," the Septa wished that Lady Catelyn's prayers had been answered so she could more fully embrace the teachings of the Mother. "It seems that Jon Snow was brought there against his will and that Lord Stark will be sending men to retrieve him."

Lady Catelyn's face grew stony at the mention that Jon was to be retrieved. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Septa. I believe that it would be best for me to speak more of this directly with my husband."

"As you will, my Lady," the Septa agreed while curtseying again. "No matter what Lord Stark may say, remember that the Seven are always listening to the prayers of the devout."

* * *

While all the brothers looked towards Alyn at the brute's declaration, only Rolf seemed to be confused by the words.

"Alyn, how does he know you?" Rolf asked. "What have you done?"

Though Jon was just as intrigued by the brute's words, he knew better than to take his eyes off of his opponent during a fight. Instead of letting himself be distracted by the situation that seemed to be brewing amongst the brothers of the Watch. Jon launched himself at his slowed opponent and attacked with renewed vigor.

Each of his weapons seemed to emit a soft blue glow in the seconds before the blue gave way to red as they were coated in the blood of his adversary. As the blows continued to land, the man's flesh started to become blackened as the telltale signs of hypothermia set into his body. Jon's combo continued until the brute of a man was essentially standing still which is when Jon lashed out with a kick to put him on his back.

Jon took advantage of his downed opponent and leapt forward, burying the head of his axe in the man's jaw and his sword in the man's gut. At this, the rising and falling of the man's chest stilled as the Stranger took another from the land of the living in his sweet embrace.

With his opponent dispatched, Jon ventured a glance at Rolf. The bastard of the Vale had his sword drawn but he was outnumbered and quickly losing ground as Alyn and the other men of the Watch were attacking him in an attempt to take him down.

"What's the meaning of this?" Jon asked attempting the voice that he had heard his father address quarreling lords. "Explain yourself."

"We don't have to explain shit to you, boy," Warne sneered as he broke off from the group engaging Rolf and moved to challenge Jon. "You're nothing to us and your death by Wildlings may be noticed but we won't be giving the executioner our boots for it today."

"Why would you do this?" Jon asked, his voice trembling with fury. "I've done nothing to you. I'm sure that Rolf hasn't done anything to you. Why would you betray one of your own?"

Warne smirked at Jon's questions. "This ain't our first dance with the Wildlings, boy. When you are forced to take the black then you do your best to get by however you can. If that means selling the people of a village that no one has ever heard of to the Wildlings then so be it."

"The sentence for a man who betrays the Nights Watch is death." Jon responded in a way that had been ingrained into his being since he first saw Lord Eddard Stark remove the head of a deserter. "In the name of my father, Warden of the North and Lord of Winterfell and King Robert Baratheon, King of the Andals, Rhoynar and First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, I, Jon Snow, sentence you to death.

 _ **One-Handed +8,800  
Destruction: Frost +7,800**_

* * *

Lady Catelyn sincerely appreciated the Septa bringing the news to her. Though she would have preferred to be notified immediately by her husband before he sent a party to retrieve the bastard, she also understood that it was a subject that he would not be persuaded against. Even though the boy was a slight against her honor with every breath that he drew and he was a very real threat to the succession of the true-born Stark children, nothing that she could say would convince her Lord husband from his attempt to retrieve the bastard.

Knowing her husband, there was only one place that he would be after receiving such news. She left the Great Keep and made her way across the courtyard passed the guest house and armory into Winterfell's Godswood. Sure enough, the Lord of Winterfell was reclined against a large rock near the Weirwood tree in the center of the Godswood, overlooking the hot spring that warmed the castle.

"My Lord," Lady Catelyn started diplomatically. "Is it true?"

"My Lady," her husband answered with a far off look on his face. "Indeed it is. To think that, of all the places that Jon would be found, he had somehow made it to the Wall."

"Indeed," Lady Catelyn said pertly. "Might it not be best to let him stay at the Wall? If he has run away then there could scarcely be a more fitting place for him. It is said that on the Wall that a bastard can rise as high as any man."

"Be that as it may," Lord Stark slid the whetstone down the length of House Stark's ancestral sword Ice. "If he chooses that path, then I will give him my blessings. Until he chooses to renounce the Stark family for the brothers of the Nights Watch, then I would have him here where he is safe."

"I know that you are fond of the boy, Ned," she attempted to placate her husband. "Is it right to bring him back to Winterfell when he will never be its lord?"

Her husband laughed at the question causing her face to fall into a frown. "Cat, if not becoming the Lord was that important to the people who call Winterfell home then the only people who would do so would be the two of us and our sons."

"I think you would agree that the circumstances that allow the boy to call Winterfell home are vastly different than the smallfolk who attend to Winterfell's needs," she implored her husband see her reasoning. "The cooks in the kitchen would have no reason to try to steal the lordship. The men of the Winterfell guard know their place in this castle."

"Aye, and Jon Snow knows his place too," he promised. "Jon has been a brother to our children. Despite the recent improvements that Ser Rodrik and Maester Luwin have been raving about, Jon has never done anything to suggest that he would threaten the others."

"Isn't that how it starts though?" she queried. "He distinguishes himself and raises himself above Robb in his mind then he starts to resent Robb's position?"

"You are seeing things that aren't there," he promised. "Jon's path will most certainly take him from Winterfell. Though I'm sure that he would be more than happy to take over for Ser Rodrik when the time comes, so he could teach Robb's sons at swords, it seems more and more likely to me that Jon will ask for permission to leave on the journey to become the man I know he can be in the near future."

"Wouldn't it be safer to have him at the Wall with your brother Benjen?" Cat questioned, trying not to make it seem that she was asking more for the guaranteed succession of her son than as a genuine curiosity. "After all, there has been Stark blood manning the Wall and protecting the realms of men for generations. Benjen would be an old man before any of Robb's sons could possibly decide to take the black."

"You do Jon a disservice with your words, Catelyn," he admonished, his tone notably cooler than it had been so far in the conversation. "Any journey that Jon takes would not be an attempt to gain strength to usurp Robb's position. He's a good lad and there are many things in this world that remain to be seen. Prior to this unexpected journey, the boy had never been further from Winterfell than the Wolfswood. There's the rest of the Seven Kingdoms for him to explore and a whole continent of adventure across the Narrow Sea."

Cat's expression leveled from a frown to a stony line as she considered the bastard crossing the Narrow Sea, never to darken her hearth again. Even though the conversation left much to be desired she put her faith in the words of her husband, at least for now.

* * *

 **AN: There you have it. With this chapter we cross the 100k word mark and have a glimpse of what is going on at Winterfell. Please let me know what you thought of the POV shifts, especially if it is something that you would like to see more of in the future.**


	17. SR017

**AN: Changing pace after the points of view from last chapter. Ot looks like a two horse race right now. Thanks to everyone who has favorited, followed and reviewed and especially Reviewer543 for his continued efforts to make this story something special. Enjoy!**

* * *

After declaring the death sentence to the traitors of the Nights Watch, Jon began to think that he may have bitten off more than he could chew when he was forced on the defensive by a man that he thought to be a friend and a traitor, Alyn Ryswell and the beady-eyed Warne Stalley. _I have little doubt that I could take down either if we were to fight alone but the two of them are experienced enough to give Aiden and Paxton a run for their money in terms of their teamwork. The only differences that separate the two from the twins are that Alyn and Warne are stronger than the Winterfell guard recruits, they have more experience and they are using live steel._

Jon caught Alyn's sword with his own and Warne's on the head of his axe. This stalemate afforded Jon a chance to look towards Rolf, who was occupying Nelsor and Ronas Payne. The glimpse told Jon just how precarious their situation was as it was clear that if either of them was to fall then it would only be a few seconds before the other was overwhelmed by the combined force of the traitors to the Nights Watch.

With the knowledge of his dire situation, Jon let the axe fall from his left hand while dropping to the ground quickly and spinning quickly to kick the handle of the falling axe to launch it at Warne who was not expecting such an unorthodox attack. The axe hit the man solidly in the stomach, and its tip seemed to penetrate the skin from the pained shout and small trail of blood that trickled from a small hole in his leathers.

Warne dropped to his knees clutching his wound as Jon used his momentum to continue his spin and stab his sword out at the man who had pretended to be his friend. "Why did you do it, Alyn?" Jon asked the man as his attack was narrowly avoided. "You were a man of the Nights Watch."

"Aye, I was a man of the Nights Watch," Alyn spat while launching a vertical slash which Jon avoided by rolling to the side before springing back to his feet and striking with a series of slashes that were all met by Alyn's sword. "Do you know what that got me? Let me tell you, it got me nothing!"

"You were sworn to be the shield that guards the realms of men," Jon snarled with a fire in his eyes. "Protecting the Seven Kingdoms is what being a member of the Nights Watch got you!"

"A green boy like you couldn't possibly understand!" Alyn retorted as his blade locked with Jon's. "The son of the Warden of Winterfell, what could you possibly know of wanting more for yourself?"

"The illegitimate son of the Warden of Winterfell," Jon countered as he slashed at Alyn, attempting to open him from his right shoulder to his left hip. "I know plenty of wanting but I also know that it is better to earn the things that I want than to take them at the expense of others."

"Save your words, bastard," Alyn said while launching a salvo of slashes that pushed Jon's defenses to the brink. "The last thing that I take from this village will be your life."

A pained scream tore through the village. Jon's and Alyn's attention was pulled from their duel as they saw Rolf had successfully removed the hand and wrist of Nelsor's sword arm midway to the elbow. Unfortunately, Rolf's success was short-lived as a blow to the back of his head by the hand holding Rona's sword landed heavily to the back of Rolf's head, causing the younger watchman's eyes to roll back into his head as he fell to the ground in a heap.

"What's going on here?" A female voice shouted. "Why are all of you fighting? The Wildlings are gone."

The source of the voice was revealed to be a beautiful woman with striking green eyes, her complexion was fair and her lips were full and pink. Her raven-black hair cascaded in waves down her shoulders creating a mane of sorts that fanned around her hourglass figure and seemed to reach the small of her back. The sheer size of her hair seemed to emphasize the curves of her slender figure even more than the grey corset that clung to her torso above a grey dress that flared at her hip and fell to her ankles above a pair of grey boots that peaked out from under the hem of the dress.

"It looks like the world has made me a liar," Alyn proclaimed, causing Jon to shift his attention from the female who had exited one of the buildings. "She will be the last thing I take from this village."

"You will not be able to stop me, Jon Snow." Alyn challenged while sweeping his sword in a gesture that was different from the sweeping attacks that he had launched so far. "You are outnumbered three to one. If you try to stop me from taking her then you and Rolf both die and I still take her but if you let us go then I will spare your lives."

Jon looked to the downed form of Rolf quickly before his view swung to find Warne and Ronas moving to stand beside their fellow traitor. Warne was holding his wound with his left arm but he was still moving well and did not seem to be overly encumbered by the injury.

"I wouldn't be able to look at myself knowing that I took my safety at the expense of another person's life," Jon concluded gravely causing the Alyn and Ronas to burst into laughter while Warne's mirth was accompanied by a pained wince. "That you would dismiss my words so easily shows that that the Vow you swore at the start of your Watch never truly reached your heart, if you still claim to have one."

"So you have a woman's heart to go along with your pretty face, is that it?" Alyn taunted. "Are you upset that we don't want to steal you also?"

"You lot seem to get pretty worked up over my looks," Jon noted dryly. "It sounds like you wish I would go with you."

"The only place you'll be going is into the embrace of the Stranger," Alyn retorted while trying to save face. "No one would ever want a bastard."

"I keep to the Old Gods," Jon informed the traitor while raising his sword in challenge. "I have no use for your Stranger."

"Men, let's see if we can make Snow fall," Alyn prompted his comrades to follow him in the attack. "The one to deal the fatal strike gets to go first with the girl."

Ronas and Alyn were upon him in seconds, easily closing the distance between them and Warne was not far behind. Since he no longer had two weapons of his own, Jon was pushed to his limits evading the strikes to the best of his ability while blocking when dodging was not an option. As Warne caught up to the combat, Jon began to feel the sting of strikes that were not completely dodged begin to land on his arms and legs.

Throwing himself backwards, as far as his legs would take him, Jon rolled backwards before bounding to his feet. Knowing that he only had a few seconds before the men were upon him again, Jon whipped his head behind him and took advantage of his backwards momentum to get a glimpse of the area behind him while channeling his magic with an intent that could only be accessed when success could mean the difference between life and death.

As he felt his magic build, Jon brought his sword up to block the next series of attacks while keeping his legs and torso firmly in place, almost planted to the ground. He didn't bother to count the number of blows that attempted to overwhelm his defense. Instead he focused on his purpose and redoubled his focus, knowing that he would not be able to keep up the frenetic pace for much longer.

"Where did he go?" Ronas asked before his head was severed from his body causing it to fly through the air several feet before finally reaching the ground.

Alyn and Warne immediately moved to stand back to back now that the odds had been turned and they were facing an invisible foe.

"I don't know how you did that," Alyn spat. "What witchcraft is this? Did you cause that wave of light that swept through the wall, demon?"

Jon did not dare to reveal himself by speaking after taking so many small wounds during the initial assault from the treacherous trio. Instead, he focused on moving as stealthily as possible to stand between the men and the dwelling where the young woman was still standing, transfixed by the battle that was raging before her and Jon's apparent disappearance.

Looking around wildly, Alyn's eyes fell to the ground immediately in front of Jon and he smirked before lunging forward with a slash that would have pierced Jon's heart if Jon did not step to the right at the last moment. Though the attack did not succeed in killing Jon, as Alyn intended, it did cause a wound deep enough on Jon's arm that his concentration failed and the illusion dropped.

"Aha," Alyn exclaimed. "Just because you can turn yourself invisible doesn't mean that you can hide your shadow! Now you're injured. You will die like the scum you are and be sent back to whatever hell you hailed from!"

"It seems that you have us confused," Jon corrected with a grimace. "You are the one who will die. Or have you forgotten what happens to those who desert the Nights Watch in addition to the vows that you swore?"

"You should keep quiet about things you don't understand," Warne coughed out. "Those people south of the Wall deserve everything that's coming down for them and more for sending us there in the first place"

Jon stepped forward with determination burning in his eyes. "Maybe I should remind you," he questioned rhetorically as he brandished his sword in his good arm while keeping his left tight to his body to prevent it from becoming an easy target.

"Night gathers, and now my watch begins." He struck out viciously at Warne without warning, causing the man's body to twist as it absorbed the force and causing the bleeding to increase from the wound he suffered earlier as the man slumped to the ground clutching his stomach.

"It shall not end until my death," he kicked out at Warne and knocked the man's left arm into the wound that it was attempting to protect.

"I shall take no wife." Jon parried a slash from Alyn.

"Hold no lands," Jon took the initiative from Alyn and launched an attack of his own which was met with steel.

"Father no children." Another slash met his opponent's steel.

"I shall wear no crown and win no glory." Jon ducked a slash while his sword leapt forward in an attempt to pierce Alyn which was avoided as the man scowled.

"I shall live and die at my post." Alyn seemed to become enraged at the statement as he swung his sword back and forth rapidly in an attempt to stop the words that he was attempting to escape.

"I am the sword in the darkness." Jon surprised Alyn by punching the man in his face with his injured arm. Although the hit was not forceful enough to drop the man to the dirt, it did cause him to stagger.

"I am the watcher on the walls." Alyn was now losing ground to Jon's dogged pursuit.

"I am the fire that burns against the cold," Jon truly began to feel the fire of the words and felt as if he was empowered by the statement.

"The light that brings the dawn!" Jon's strike found purchase but it was merely a flesh wound.

"The horn that wakes the sleepers!" Jon slammed his sword against Alyn's with as much force as he could muster causing a hole to appear in the man's guard.

"The shield that guards the realms of men." It was time to take advantage of Alyn's rushed attempt to move his sword back into position and Jon did so by attempting the disarming maneuver that Ser Rodrik had taught him what felt like a lifetime ago.

"I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch." Jon kicked out and his blow landed squarely on Alyn's chest, forcing the man to take a seat on the ground.

"For this night and all the nights to come." Jon pushed the tip of his sword into Alyn's throat hard enough to draw a tickle of blood.

"Yes, yes, we know the words," Warne wheezed as he pressed a dagger into the throat of the young woman who had been paralyzed at the sight of the men fighting while holding his wound with an urgency that had not been there before. "You let Alyn go or else this one dies."

Alyn was broke from the stupor caused by Jon reciting the Vow by Warne's words and he started to laugh. "We'll be taking our freedom and the girl and there is nothing you can do to stop us."

"All your efforts for noth…" Warne stopped short as an arrow embedded into his eye causing him to fall to the ground and drop the knife.

Apparently, that was the breaking point for the young woman as she screamed and fell to her knees. With one hand, she clutched her face and, with the other, she pointed in the direction from which the arrow had been fired.

Jon's sword did not leave Alyn's throat as he followed the pointing finger to see a sight that made him gasp.

The last person that Jon expected to see was standing no more than 20 paces away with her bow held aloft and her eye towards her target. Ygritte had found him.

 _ **Quest Completed!  
Village Vigilante: Defend the village of Dawnstar against the Wildling invaders that seek to enslave the men and do worse to the women.  
Rewards for completion: Fealty of Dawnstar, information about the Free Folk and 100,000 Experience.**_

 _ **Blocking +3600  
Sneak +2000  
One-handed +5200  
Speech +4500  
Evasion +2600  
Light Armor +800  
Illusion: Magical Distortion +10000**_

 _ **You have reached level 20. You have 5 perk points to distribute. You have 200 points to allocate to health points, stamina points and/or magic points. Open menu to distribute points.**_

 _If I don't do it now then I don't know when I will have time to do it in the near future and, with how often I have found myself in battle since winding up beyond the Wall, I can't take the chance ._ Jon reasoned as he opened the menu. _100 points each to health points and magic points would even out the three stats. My health points seem to be more than enough between my offensive skills, my blocking and evasion skills and my magic ward. Plus Restoration magic seems like it will do even better at protecting me as I level the skill. Instead, I'll put 50 points towards my stamina points and 150 points towards my magic points to bring their totals up to 350 each._

Jon made the adjustment to his stats quickly and was redirected to his perks.

 _The perk points are a bit trickier._ Jon considered his options. _Currently, my perks are pretty even:_ _Strength 6, Perception, 6, Endurance 6, Charisma 4, Intelligence 6, Agility 5 and Luck 4. I know that I can raise Strength, Endurance and Agility the old fashion way through pushing my body to its limits. I can also increase Intelligence by reading but that takes much longer even with the Read-Absorb ability. Charisma, Perception and Luck are the perks that are the ones that I haven't found a way to increase naturally yet._

 _I like the idea of bringing Charisma and Luck to 5 so that all my perks are at least level 5. There is definitely something to be said for being well rounded especially since I don't know what the future will hold for me, if the past months have taught me anything it's that anything could happen._

 _Then again, the mysticism ability causes magic points to regenerate based on the level. Between my higher number of magic points and the fact that right now they would only regenerate at the rate on 6 points for minutes, it would take almost an hour to get back to 300 points if I was to use all of them at once. Plus more intense magic seems to need more magic points to cast, so it makes sense to start preparing with all the different types of magic that seem to be available._

 _I'll raise Intelligence to level 10 and see if that unlocks any other abilities and the figure out what to do with the remaining point._

Jon added 4 points to Intelligence and was happy to see a notification appear before him.

 _ **Intermediate Mysticism – Allows recovery of MP at a rate double to your current Intelligence level per minute outside of combat.**_

 _That was lucky! Alright, that settles it. If 4 Luck will do that, then I am perfectly willing to see what 5 Luck will bring._

Jon added the final point to luck and waited for an ability notification to pop. Apparently, all the luck was used on the unlocking of Intermediate Mysticism as no new notifications appeared before him.

 _Well the Intermediate Mysticism perk definitely makes up for not getting anything specific for Luck._

 _I should probably get back to the real world to see how Ygritte came to be in Dawnstar._

Jon closed the menu and immediately regretted not taking time in the paused reality that he entered to access the menu of the Stargaryan Ring to think of something clever to say. "Uh, Ygritte?"

"Aye, is that you Jon?" She asked adjusting her aim from the now downed form of Warne to the man that Jon was holding at sword point. "How did you come to be so far from Winterfell? Who is that man? Why are you here? How did the prettiest boy I know come to look like hell?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Ygritte arched her eyebrow in a way that clearly was meant to indicate that he would need to give a better explanation than that. "The man is a deserter from the Nights Watch who tried to kill me when it was revealed that he was selling people to the Cave People across the Wall. He and some other men of the Watch were to take me as far as this town as their way of seeing me safely returned to Winterfell. As you can tell from my looks, he and the other traitors have a very different understanding of the word 'safely.'"

"We'll see what Camen has to say about all of this," Ygritte processed his answers with a look on her face that Jon could not quite place as she held her bow at Alyn as if daring him to give her a reason to shoot. "I thought you ran out on me, Jon Snow."

"Ran out on you?" Jon was confused by the statement. "I didn't have any way of knowing that I would be leaving Winterfell. If I did, I would have told you."

Ygritte's face seemed to soften ever so slightly at Jon's words before she whistled a tune that seemed like a song from a bird, causing the other members of the Free Folk to enter the village from their places behind the trees on the southwest side of the village.

Foremost among them with his long grey hair, aged face with the mid-evening stubble and posture as straight as any lord that Jon had seen was the man who called himself Camen, Mance Rayder.

"Jon Snow, imagine seeing you here," the leader of the Free Folk smiled as he greeted Jon. "You caused quite a stir at Winterfell when you went missing. After the kindness you showed to our Ygritte, you Lord Father agreed to my request to help look for you before King Robert arrives at the castle."

"Thank you for coming," Jon wanted to express his gratitude. "Ygritte has done more than enough to pay back any debt that was owed, as you did when you gave me the Hawksflight bow."

"We do not forget kindness that is given freely to us," the old man responded with a shake of his head. "Even if you don't realize what you are doing. By bringing the Stark children into our camp, your presence was enough to convince the small folk that our services merited their coin. We left Winterfell with our purses considerably fatter than when we arrived and I intend to put the coin to good use."

"What would a man like you want with coin?" The words slipped from Jon's mouth before he realized their implication. "I only mean…"

Mance's face grew hard as he raised a hand to cut Jon off. "I expected as much. If you were able to guess the true name of the bow then it was not much of a leap to think you would figure out mine also. Let me formally introduce myself. Mance Rayder, leader of the Free Folk, at your service."

"When we spoke last time, you spoke as if the Free Folk were more than just a traveling theater troupe." Jon attempted to explain how he could have known that Camen was more than he appeared. "It was as if it was a way of life."

"That it is, Jon," Mance smiled before shifting his gaze to the man at the point of Jon's sword. "It seems that you have caught yourself a Crow."

"This is Alyn Ryswell, a deserter from the Nights Watch." Jon said, taking a step back and letting his sword arm drop to his side while taking care to remain in striking range in case Alyn tried anything. "He was selling people from this village to a group of Cave People beyond the Wall about a day of riding away from the Shadow Tower."

"Beyond the Wall, you say?" Mance questioned with an inscrutable look on his face. "What do you know of the lands beyond the Wall?"

"Not much," Jon admitted. "I found myself in the Forbidden Forrest of White Tree when I woke up from whatever took me from Winterfell. After coming to, I was injured in a battle against a sea serpent and taken prisoner by the Cave People. That's where I first met Alyn who was also a prisoner. Together we escaped and rode for Shadow Tower."

"So he was a prisoner too?" Mance mused with an amused smirk toying at his lips and a twinkle in his eye. "It is fortunate that you managed to escape. I happen to know the group that you speak of and I have not known them to keep prisoners alive for very long."

"That's what Ser Denys said also," Jon answered causing Mance to turn the full intensity of his gaze upon Jon. "He then sent me with a eleven members of the Watch to take me as far as this village on the way back to Winterfell."

"Eleven? Where are the others?" Mance asked casually as he seemed to become much more alert. "Why would they leave you with them?"

Jon saw Mance gesture at Alyn, the corpses of Warne and Ronas and the downed forms of Nelsor and Rolf. Jon pointed at Rolf, "He's one of the good ones. The others were injured in a battle against a mirelurk and returned with their dead to the Shadow Tower."

Mance's eyes widened at the mention of a mirelurk before he seemed to breathe a sigh in relief at Jon's words before addressing two of his men. "Tie up Jon's captive, check on the others. The one Jon pointed out does not need to be tied up at this point. If either of the others survived then bind them as well."

"Thank you, Mance." Jon sheathed his sword as the men followed Mance's words and gagged him for good measure. "There is one thing though. How could you, and the Free Folk, have made it here so quickly from Winterfell?"

Mance smirked at Jon's question. "Let's just say that the Free Folk are used to travel in much harsher terrain than you find in these parts. Other than that, you have things that you are not sharing with me, I think it fitting that I don't share the specifics with you."

Jon nodded in understanding, appreciating the fact that Mance did not push for more answers than he was willing to give. "Right then," he agreed while turning his attention to the crumpled form of the girl who was almost kidnapped by the traitors to the Watch. "I have to make sure that the people of this village know that the danger has passed before we can return to Winterfell."

"Do what you must," Mance said while following Jon's gaze to the young woman's sobbing form. "I would have some of the men help you but I don't think our presence would be appreciated by the people of this village."

Jon cocked his head to the side, momentarily confused by Mance's proclamation before realizing that having the Free Folk deliver the news that the Cave people have gone may incite more panic than it settled. "There don't seem to be many people left, so I don't think this will take long."

"Take care," Mance cautioned while gesturing for his people to fall back. "These people have had quite a fright. Keep your sword at the ready and don't let your guard down."

"I'll have my eye on you, Jon Snow," Ygritte promised. "And my bow."

Jon nodded, with a brief look of trepidation at the second part of Ygritte's promise, and moved towards the girl that had almost experienced the worst that the Nights Watch had to offer, first hand. As he got closer to the girl, the muffled sound of her sobs became easier to discern. "Hello, my name is Jon Snow. Things will be alright now."

The girl looked up and the sight of the tears running down her cheeks took Jon's breath away. "How can you say that? They killed everyone!"

"You're still here," Jon tried to refocus the girl on her own survival. "There must be other survivors as well."

The girl seemed to consider Jon's words before shaking her head to deny his statement and dropping her gaze to her lap. "We've been raided before but there is no one left for them here after today."

"It must have been hard to live with such a threat to your village." Jon moved to sit next to the girl. "Those beasts should have been put down long ago."

The girl nodded and sniffled, seeming to regain a bit of her composure. "Over the last year, there must have been at least half a dozen raids like the one you saw today. Each time, more and more of the villagers disappeared. Today was the last stand. Counting me, there were less than twenty people here when the sun rose this morning. My father was the village's leader and he led the men against those monsters when they attacked."

"He sounds like he was a brave man."

The girl gave a hollow laugh. "Brave, maybe. Stupid, there can be no doubt. He refused my brother when he was told that we needed to leave the town if we wanted to survive."

"Was your brother a part of the town's defense today?" Jon asked quietly.

"No," the girl seemed to gain strength as she answered. "When father turned down his plan for us to abandon Dawnstar, he was sent to beseech the aid of the Lord of Winterfell and continue down to Kings Landing if the Lord of Winterfell would not take action against our foes."

"We're heading back to Winterfell," Jon offered, seeking to give the young woman a sense of purpose and desiring to keep her close to offer protection. "If your brother was heading to Winterfell then you could come back with us to meet him there."

"You don't even know me," the girl looked suddenly shy. "You've already bled for this village. You do not owe me anything."

Jon looked at his arms and legs and took a deep breath while thinking on his injuries and how they likely paled in comparison to what would have happened to the young woman if the traitors to the Nights Watch had been able to take her from the village. "I took these wounds because I was unwilling to let those men do whatever they had in mind for you. I couldn't live with myself thinking that something ended up happening to you because you tried to make the trip by yourself."

"I just want to wake up and find that this was all a dream," the girl said breathily while pulling her knees to her chest. "At least that would mean that everyone was still alive."

Jon tried to be as reassuring as he put his left hand on her right shoulder and caused her to jerk her head towards him with her eyes wide. "Can you feel my hand?" He asked, prompting a shaky nod and her face to fall. "As terrible as all this was, it was real. Despite all the bad that came out of the day, you survived. Your brother is out there and you will find him."

She rubbed her face with the palms of her hands to clear it of the tears that had been steadily falling since Warne had held a knife to her throat. "There is nothing for me here now. I will go with you and find my brother." Her breath seemed to catch in her throat before she continued. "Someone needs to tell him what happened here."

Jon let out a breath that he did not know that he know he was holding. "I'm glad that is your decision. Is there anything that you wish to take with you? We can go whenever you are ready."

"There are some things that I'd like to take with me before leaving. Would you come in with me?" The young woman asked nervously. "I don't want to be alone right now."

"I don't even know you name," Jon blushed at her offer to join her alone in her home. "I don't know that it would be appropriate for me to be alone with you in your house. Maybe I should get one of the women?"

"My name is Ysolda Darklyn." She introduced herself with a a hint of a frown creeping onto her face at the mention of her family name. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Jon Snow."

"The pleasure is all mine, Ysolda." Jon remembered his courtesies. "Are you sure about this?"

"After the attack, I'm not sure of much," Ysolda admitted with a shake of her head that caused a lock of hair to slip from behind her ear. Involuntarily, Jon's hand moved from her shoulder to tuck the stray lock of hair back into place. Apparently his actions were not appreciated as an arrow embedded in the house just above his head. "By the Children, when will this nightmare end?"

Jon did not have time to answer before Ysolda grabbed his hand and pulled him into her home before slamming the door and dropping a heavy bar into place to protect them from the perceived danger. After the fortification was in place, she sunk to the ground with her head buried in her hands and her eyes wide.

Jon immediately moved to soothe Ysolda after the perceived danger. Again, his left hand found her left shoulder but this time his right hand found her left shoulder. "It's ok, Ysolda. That arrow wasn't fired by anyone who would want to hurt you. It was my friend Ygritte."

"Why would a friend shoot an arrow at you?" Ysolda asked with a look of skepticism. "It doesn't sound like she is a very good friend."

"I've seen her shoot before," Jon remembered how the arrow plunged into Warne's eye. "If she was aiming for either of us then she would not have missed."

Ysolda's brow furrowed in a way that reminded Jon just how attractive the young woman was. "Why would she shoot at us in any case?"

Jon blushed again as he remembered how unhappy Ygritte seemed when she thought he had left Winterfell without saying goodbye to her. "I'm not exactly sure. I don't think she liked it when I put your hair behind your ear."

Ysolda's mouth gaped in incredulity. "Is she your woman?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that," the words fell from Jon's mouth before he stopped to consider. "When she arrived at Winterfell, I saved her when she found herself on the nasty end of a bear."

"It sounds like she took your actions to mean something else," Ysolda shook off Jon's hands from her shoulders as she pushed herself to a standing position and began to walk towards a staircase. "It makes sense."

Jon didn't know how to answer so he kept his silence as she reached the stairs.

"I told you that I don't want to be alone, come on." Ysolda motioned for Jon to follow her up the staircase. "Your woman can wait a bit longer."

"I told you that she isn't my woman," Jon grumbled through the blush that Ysolda seemed to be able to conjure on his face at will. "I can only imagine what the Septa would say if an unmarried woman was to allow an unmarried man into her private quarters at Winterfell."

"The Seven have no place in the north." Ysolda stated as she seemed to swing her hips a bit more with each step causing Jon's attention to be drawn to the swaying form of her derriere. "She can say whatever she wants; she holds no influence over me."

Jon didn't know what to say that would not give Ysolda the impression that he had ulterior motives for accompanying her into the house so he kept quiet. The stairs led the two of them to a small landing with a small cabinet and a door immediately to the left of the top of the stairs and another following the landing to the door leading to the second room on the top floor of the house.

Ysolda opened the door to the left on the landing and entered the room. Jon looked around and saw a bed that could comfortably fit two people with two smaller cabinets on either side a large trunk at the foot of the bed and a sizable armoire on the wall to the left of the door.

Ysolda first went to the cabinet on the right of the bed and took out a good sized leather bag. Then she walked around the foot of the bed and propped open the trunk before withdrawing some linen garments that caused Jon to blush realizing that he had just caught a glimpse of Ysolda's small clothes as she stuffed them in the leather bag. Ysolda also pulled several tough looking leather garments from the trunk and turned to Jon with a strange look on her face.

"My mother was a warrior and when she passed, my father wanted me to have her leathers to keep me safe and keep her spirit alive," Ysolda explained. "Turn around and don't peek as I change."

Jon almost groaned at the blood rushing to his face but he nodded and turned around resolutely. _I know that she didn't want to be alone but I would have expected her to have me leave the room before she even thought of changing._ Jon thought as he heard a soft ruffle which Jon took to mean that her skirt was now laying on the ground. _Even if she holds no affection for the Seven, I have never known a woman to be so bold that she would change in the presence of a man._

"I can't do it," Ysolda exclaimed in frustration causing Jon to turn around. "The tie is struck."

Jon's mouth dropped as he saw a scandalous amount of leg under the shift that ended halfway down her thigh and revealed creamy legs. Jon's eyes darted back up to Ysolda's eyes. "Um, do you need help?"

Ysolda seemed to remember that Jon was there as she gave a slight shriek and bent over with her hands crossed in front of her pelvis, giving Jon a generous helping of cleavage to feast his eyes upon. When she noticed his changed focus, she brought her left hand up to cover her cleavage while her right protected her nether regions. She took a deep breath and straightened while moving her hands to her sides before closing her eyes and nodding. "The tie is stuck. If it would not be too much trouble, would you be able to help untie my corset."

Jon's face was on fire and he had to fight to keep his voice steady as he said, "It's no trouble my lady."

If Jon thought the furious blushes that Ysolda's words and the swing of her hips had caused were bad it was nothing to what he experienced as she pushed her chest forward to give Jon access to the small bow that laid neatly in her cleavage. He did his best to preserve Ysolda's modesty by only using his thumbs and forefingers to grip the small strings that cinched the corset together while minimizing the contact with the fleshy orbs below.

At the small contact, Ysolda's lips pursed though her eyes stayed closed and she did not voice any complaints. Jon redoubled his efforts to pull untie the stubborn bow loose but he was unsuccessful. Clenching his teeth, Jon added pressure to the ends of the tie with his middle and ring fingers, inadvertently pressing his fingers against Ysolda's breasts for a second before he remembered the private nature of the area and lifting the string so neither it nor any part of his hands were in contact with the intimate parts of her body.

With a grunt, Jon managed to pull the bow loose which immediately caused the garment to loosen enough to slide down Ysolda's body revealing the see through shift that she wore underneath. Though Jon would not dare to admit it to her, he could not help but stare at the twin peaks that seemed to want to poke through the shift for a moment before turning away.

Upon hearing Jon turn around, it seemed that Ysolda found her voice again. "Thank you, Jon."

Jon barely heard her as blood pounded in his ears and he tried to stop it from making it way to the lower part of his body by breathing deeply and thinking of things that were considerably less arousing. _Lady Catelyn, Hodor, Old Nan, the crypts._ "I'm at your service, my lady."

He heard some rustling which he took to be Ysolda donning the leathers. "You can turn around now," Ysolda's voice didn't hide the embarrassment from the last time she felt Jon's eyes on her body.

Jon took a deep breath before turning around and praying to whatever gods there where that he did not appear to be as flustered as he felt. When he saw her in her leathers, all he could say was, "Wow."

Her leather fastened around her neck and left her left shoulder bare while covering her left shoulder. The leather chest piece seemed to be more of a corset than any armor he had seen previously and the hardened leather formed a shapely bust that was no less alluring than what she had previously been wearing. The leather clung to her like a second skin as it tapered down to her narrow waist on which set a large silver buckle for a belt that held a layered leather skirt that fell to her knees. She had traded the grey shoes that peeked out from her dress for a pair of brown leather boots that reached just under her knees.

Ysolda smiled softly at Jon's reply before her lips formed a slight pout. "We should get going before your woman storms the house."

Jon was shook from the thoughts that were raging through his mind by Ysolda's words. "She's not my woman. Did you get everything that you need?"

Ysolda moved to the armoire and grabbed several dresses and stopped them to the leather bag along with the grey dress and shoes that she had been wearing when she first met Jon. She looked around the room briefly before nodding and leaving the room with a gesture for Jon to follow.

Jon followed the young woman and was again transfixed by the sight of her hips swaying as she walked to the other door at the top of the stairs to reveal a similar room to the one that he had just left. Opening the door, she entered and went to a small bookshelf before grabbing a tome titled, "Mine, Pickaxe and Man." He was surprised to see her crack open the book until he realized that it had been hollowed out to hide a sizeable pouch which Jon expected to contain whatever coin the family had been able to save before she put the book back on the shelf ad stored the pouch in her larger leather bag.

Continuing through the room, she opened the trunk at the foot at the bed and pulling out a pair of daggers which she lifted her skirt to hide in pouched on either thigh. Jon gave up fighting the rush of blood caused by the sudden exposure of skin and just smiled at his fortune, silently thanking the Stargayan Ring for his luck.

It seemed that she had not gotten all that she had intended as she bent over the trunk and pushed things around for several seconds before she withdrew a large two handed sword that seemed preposterously large for her slender build before slinging it over her shoulder and strapping the belt across her chest, drawing Jon's attention towards her bust again.

Trying to shift the get his mind on more practical matters, Jon had a suggestion. "You should find something to tie back your hair if you expect to wield that beast of a sword."

Ysolda gave Jon a genuine smile and he felt himself go a bit weak in the knees. "I almost forgot!"

She rushed back to the first room and grabbed a handful of leather ties from the cabinet to the left of her bed before she plopped down and whipped her hair forward before separating it into three sections and quickly braiding the waves and tying the braid off with the lone strip of leather that she had kept in her hand throughout the process.

The process took less than a minute and Jon was captivated by her sure movements, the way she focused on her fingers' movements and the way the corners of her lips curled upwards at the familiar task. When she was finished, she stood up and grabbed Jon's hand to leave the room before pulling him down the stairs and stopping at the bottom. "Should I bring food?"

That was a very good question and one that Jon was entirely unsure with how to answer. Though he did not have any food, on his person, he knew that there were rations on his horse and he suspected that the Free Folk were more than capable of providing along the way back to Winterfell. "We should be fine, but if there is anything that you want to bring, that fits in your bag, then the choice is yours."

Ysolda's mouth quirked to the right in a look that clearly said she was unimpressed with the answer. "Alright, just a minute."

She went into the kitchen and grabbed several jars with substances of various colors and carefully packing them in her back around the other items to make sure that they were sufficiently cushioned to prevent breakage if the bag had to be dropped suddenly.

"What are those?" Jon asked, intrigued by the contents of the jars. "They looked like jams."

"You'll just have to wait and hope I share," Ysolda teased. "That should be everything that I need. I'm ready."

Almost on cue, there was a banging on the door. "Jon Snow, get out here right now," Ygritte's voice called from the other side, her unhappiness with the situation evident.

Jon grimaced when he heard Ygritte's voice. He realized that she had not been happy when she saw him tuck the loose strand of hair behind Ysolda's ear, because of the arrow that she fired, but he did not want to think what her reaction would be if she knew what had occurred within the house.

"We're on the way out now," Jon shouted reassurance as he looked toward Ysolda who nodded. "She is just grabbing a few things for the road."

"It shouldn't take that long to pack your things!" Ygritte countered her frustration evident. "I don't know what you're doing to Jon in there but you better get out here, if you know what's good for you!"

"If she's always like this, I don't know what you see in her," Ysolda stated in an offhand way as she moved out of the kitchen. "If you saved her life then she should trust you."

"We've saved each other's lives," Jon corrected. "I don't know that she has ever been in a situation where she was saved by another person. She is fiercely independent and would do everything that she could to prevent herself from finding those situations, though that is not always enough to stay out of them."

"I don't get it," Ysolda admitted dejectedly. "She would shoot an arrow at you just because you do something that she doesn't like and then she makes demands of you without knowing if you are doing anything that should cause her to be suspicious."

"I think it's the not knowing that gets her, more than anything," Jon theorized while stroking his chin with his left hand. "We should get going, if you have everything you need. Staying in here won't do either of us any good where Ygritte is concerned."

"So you admit that you care what she thinks," Ysolda smirked before her face fell marginally to a look of minor disappointment. "If I cared about someone, I wouldn't want them locked away from me either."

Jon looked towards the young woman and considered her words. "When you put it that way, it does make a certain amount of sense but, as I said before, she's not my woman. Despite our friendship, she should not have shot that arrow after all you've been through."

"Thank you for that," Ysolda beamed. "I don't like that she would shoot an arrow for something so simple as you tucking a strand of hair behind my hair then, by my estimation, her feelings for you go beyond that of mere friendship."

"You may be right," Jon didn't necessarily disagree but he was hesitant to voice any agreement. Instead, he moved to the door and removed the bar that Ysolda had set after frantically retreating from Ygritte's perceived assault. "Even if the your initial meeting didn't go the way either of us would have wanted, I hope that you two will get along since we will be traveling back to Winterfell together. It's time to go."

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 **AN2: There it is, 17 chapters. Please let me know what you thought an I will do my best to get the new chapter out asap.**


	18. SR018

**AN1: Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed! Though I don't respond to every review, I read everything that you are kind enough to say after reading my story. It was the support that I got from readers through the reviews that helped me get back to writing after life pulled me away from writing for the last few months, so thanks again to everyone who reviewed, it means more to me than you know! Now that I have a bit of a groove going, I am optimistic that you won't have such a long wait until the next chapter. I hope you enjoy!**

 **AN2: Again, I do not own Game of Thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire, Skyrim or the Gamer. All rights to the owners of those respective properties.**

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Jon braced himself to deal with an irritated Ygritte before he pulled the door open. Though he knew that her patience had been nearing its limit when she banged on the door, he still involuntarily stepped back at the look of frustration and disapproval on Ygritte's face.

The girl was standing at the entrance to Ysolda's home with her hands on her hips, her lips pursed, her eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed. "It took you long enough, Snow. What, did you decide to take a tumble with that one?" Before Jon could answer, Ygritte's gaze shifted from Jon to Ysolda and back again before she turned sharply on her heel and started to walk away. "You've wasted enough time already. Mance wants to be off."

Jon sighed and shook his head at Ygritte's retreating form before turning back to Ysolda. He gestured toward Ygritte with a wave of his arm before addressing Ysolda, "That could have gone much worse."

Ysolda's eyes followed Jon's gesture toward Ygritte before her attention turned back to the home that she would be leaving. As her face set in determination she said, "Well she was right about one thing, at least. It's time to go."

Jon inclined his head in agreement and made to follow Ygritte with Ysolda at his side. Ygritte continued to make her way to the edge of the village, where Jon knew the rest of the Free Folk were waiting for them. As they reached the edge of the village of Dawnstar, a circle of horses and wagons that Jon recognized as those belonging to the Free Folk came into view.

As the three of them got closer to the Free Folk encampment, Jon could see that Rolf was facing Mance and seemed to be exchanging words with the older man while he was flanked by two large men that were clearly looking to Mance for instruction. Jon picked up the pace so he could exchange words with the only honorable member of the Nights Watch that had accompanied him to Dawnstar.

Upon seeing Jon and the girls, Mance looked away from Rolf suddenly. This action caused Rolf and the two men standing to either side of him to turn their attention in the direction of the new arrivals as well. Mance inclined his head in Jon's direction momentarily, as if to encourage Jon to join in on the conversation that was occurring between him and Rolf.

Rolf's tired eyes seemed to light up with renewed vigor when he was able to confirm for himself that Jon had survived the treachery and seemed to be without major injury. The young man moved from his position to intercept Jon and his face broke into a smile as he threw his arms around the stranger that had wandered into the Shadow Tower what seemed like a lifetime ago. "It's good to see you, Jon." Rolf released Jon and took a step back before looking Jon up and down as if to make sure that his initial assessment was correct.

"It was lucky that they didn't go for the killing blow when they managed to take you out of the fight," Jon tried to deflect the discomfort from the unexpected physical contact while running his fingers through his hair and glancing towards Ysolda. He gestured toward her with a sweeping motion of his hand, "This is Ysolda. She was there when we made our stand against the traitors and would have been taken captive if not for Ygritte." Jon turned his head and nodded in Ygritte's direction.

"Well met, the both of you," Rolf seemed to remember the courtesies that he had learned before going to the Wall and swearing his vows. "Even though Camen has explained how he and his troupe found themselves so far away from the people that would pay for their services, I still find it to be pretty unbelievable that they were able to find you here of all the places that you could have gone."

Jon looked towards Mance with a raised eyebrow. "However it came to be, I'm glad that they managed to find us. I don't want to think of what they would have done to Ysolda if they had been able to take her captive…" Jon trailed off while turning to look at his new female friend. "There is nothing left for her here so she will be coming with us to Winterfell and looking for her brother."

Rolf seemed momentarily shocked by Jon's words. "For a second, I forgot that you were not a man of the Night's Watch what with making the journey south from the Shadow Tower and helping to put down the traitors." Rolf looked over Jon appraisingly again before continuing. "You know, with all of the men out of commission from this mission there would be plenty of opportunity for a lad like you if you were to take the Black."

Jon shook his head before responding. "Nay, there is far too much for me out there to settle down at any place right now. Though, I would ask a favor of you, if you would have it."

Rolf nodded in agreement prompting Jon to continue. "Return to Shadow Tower and report to Ser Denys and the Lord Commander what happened here. We both know the type of men who have had to swear the vows in recent years. It wouldn't do to have more towns preyed upon and made to suffer by the men that are meant to protect them."

Again, Rolf nodded in agreement. "It will be done. I expect that the new recruits will be in for a nasty surprise after the shit this lot pulled." With that, he turned to Mance. "You have my gratitude Camen. I don't expect that our paths will ever cross again but I wish fortune for you and yours. My horse is just outside of town to the north, I'll be leaving to make my report. One thing before I go, Jon."

Rolf pulled a necklace from beneath his leathers that had a pendant just shorter than the smallest finger on Jon's hand with three ravens with wings spread holding, each clutching a heart in its talons. "You saved my life today. If you ever find yourself in need, take that pendant to Ser Lyn Corbray and tell him how you came to hold it. I will send a raven to him if Ser Denys allows verifying the tale but, if that is not permitted, showing him the pendant and telling him that Actions Give the Heart Wings should suffice."

Jon nodded solemnly before seeming to tuck the pendant into his leathers when, in reality, he was using the distraction to hide the fact that he was storing it in his inventory.

Mance nodded, apparently impressed with the young member of the Nights Watch. "May you find fortune, Crow." Rolf seemed to tense for a second before shaking his head and taking his leave. "You never know where your path might take you."

Mance glanced at the two men who had been flanking Rolf and gave them a nod before turning to address Jon. "It seems that our business here has reached its conclusion. Let's get you back to Winterfell."

Jon took a moment to cast a look at Ysolda and another at Ygritte before nodding. He began to walk with the Free Folk back towards their wagons before he remembered that he was forgetting something. "Wait, my horse was left with Rolf's and the others'. If I am going to be making the trip with you then I don't want to burden you anymore than needed. I'll go fetch my horse and we can go."

The mention of horses seemed to pique Mance's interest. "The men you rode with will have no further use of those horses. Ygritte go with him and bring the other horses back here." Mance instructed with a lopsided grin. "It seems that this trip could have been profitable for us after all."

"I'll go too," Ysolda volunteered. "I'm not the best on a horse but it makes more sense than burdening one of your wagons."

Mance nodded in acceptance as he watched the trio walk off with a wry smile on his lips.

The girls followed in silence as Jon led them to where he and the brothers of the Nights Watch had stopped before their treachery had been revealed. It seemed that Rolf had been so focused on his given task of reporting to Ser Denys and the Lord Commander that he either did not think to take the remaining horses with him. It was that or he did not judge the value of a few horses to make up for the delay that he would experience if he had to lead the rider-less horses back to the Shadow Tower.

Jon found his horse grazing in a field near where it had been left along with the horses that had been ridden by Alyn, Nelsor, Ronas and Warne. Ygritte immediately moved towards the chestnut mare ridden by Warne while Ysolda was more tentative in approaching the spotted grey horse that had been ridden by Ronas. After mounting their respective horses, Jon and Ygritte each grabbed the reins of one of the remaining horses and looked to Ysolda who, after a few failed attempts, successfully managed to mount her own horse.

Ygritte did not attempt to hide her amusement as she laughed impolitely at the failed attempts. Fortunately, the comments that she was muttering were lost on the wind as neither Jon nor Ysolda heard the assuredly critical remarks. When Ysolda had found her seat, Ygritte spoke, "If that's how you mount a man then it looks like I won't have to worry about you stealing my pretty lord. Hopefully you've enough experience on a horse to make the journey. Mance wouldn't be happy if you slowed us down."

"Worry about yourself," Ysolda countered as she fought a tinge of red that threatened to rise to her cheeks at the implications toward Jon and used her reins to direct her horse to stand beside Jon's mount, effectively forcing Ygritte to choose between riding beside her, behind Ysolda, Jon and the horse that he was guiding with the reins in his right hand or putting a horse between her and Jon, thus eliminating the chance for a private conversation between the two. "I know perfectly well how to handle myself."

"From what I saw earlier, you can use all the help you can get." If Ygritte noticed the maneuver, she did not mention as she took her place on the opposite side of Jon. "You're just lucky that we got here when we did."

Jon's head turned sharply to Ygritte. "That's enough. After all she's been through, now's not the time for petty squabbling. Whatever issues you have can wait."

Frowning at the rebuke, Ygritte gave the reins of her horse a shake which prompted the horse to trot forward.

* * *

Arya tried to wipe the frown of annoyance from her face when the helm was removed from her head and she pushed bran aside so she could take her position on Sansa's right. She saw no point in the pomp and circumstance that came with being a lady of a great house. _I bet Sansa just loves this right now,_ she thought to herself while casting a sidelong glance at her sister who seemed to be made of wood for how stiffly she was standing. _Let the lady have her princes to rescue her like the broads in the tales that she loves so much. Blech, why would she want to be rescued by someone? If I was in one of those stories then I would rescue myself!_

Arya was broken from her reverie as the royal procession rode through the gates of Winterfell. Never before had she seen knights like this before. Sure, she had seen her father out with his bannermen but the attire of the north seemed dull in comparison to the gleaming armor of these southern knights. She saw a glum looking blonde boy riding in the midst of the knights and took that to be the prince, though she couldn't help but find him lacking in the kind of nobility that Robb and even Jon had when they rode.

Next to him was a large man with a helm in the shape of a dog. Even though being seated made it hard to tell for certain, it seemed that this was a big brute of a man from the way his helm remained visible no matter who rode in front of him to momentarily block her vision. Even when surrounded by the men who wore the gold helms and white cloaks, that Arya knew to be the kingsguard, the dog's head helm remained visible.

Arya cast a quick glance in Sansa's direction and saw her staring at the blonde boy as if the yellow of his hair was caused by him being made of lemon cakes. It took every ounce of restraint in Arya's body to stop her from rolling her eyes at the sight of Sansa who looked as if she wanted to scream out for the boy to make some kind of grand gesture to win her favor in front of everyone.

Scrunching her nose, as if she had smelled something ripe, Arya turned her attention to what could only be a royal litter. It was like a room on wheels, adorned with banners decorated with the sigil of a lion flying proudly on each corner. Behind the litter was a fat, old man surrounded by several members of the kingsguard. While Arya was tempted to roll her eyes at Sansa's reaction to the boy, she was even more tempted to burst out laughing if that slob turned out to be the king of the seven kingdoms.

From the periphery of her vision, Arya caught sight of her mother and father bending the knee and moved to follow suit while fighting against the laughter that threatened to break free. Arya's mirth only increased when a pair of boys, no older than Bran, rushed forward with large blocks that they placed next to the fat man's horse, allowing him to dismount with some semblance of dignity in front of the assembled peoples.

After dismounting, the man made his way straight towards her father and bid him to rise. The Lord of Winterfell rising was taken as a queue by all to follow his lead. While standing, Arya noticed the small bow of her father's head as he addressed the king, "Your Grace."

Seemingly displeased, the king's eyes scanned her father up and down before he proclaimed, "You got fat."

Though her father did not utter a word, his appraising look to the king's own protruding belly seemed to be exactly the response that the king was looking for as he burst out in a wheezing laugh while pulling her father into a warm embrace. After the men separated, Robert greeted her mother with a hug and proceeded to assess the Stark children.

He approved of the look of determination that he found in Robb's eye, noted how pretty Sansa was, grinned at the wildness that he saw in Arya and commented that Bran would make a fine soldier when he was a man, grown.

While this was happening, Jaime Lannister rode in on his white horse and removed his helm looking much more kingly than the actual king himself. At the same time, a tall blonde woman who looked like she would rather be anywhere else in all of Westeros stepped out of the litter and was treated with the reverence of a queen, and greeted accordingly by Arya's mother and father. The queen, Cersei Baratheon of House Lannister, moved to her husband's side and voiced her desire to sup in the castle after months of riding but the man was having none of it.

Instead he insisted that her father take him to the crypts because he "wanted to pay his respects."

Though clearly wary of the queen's withering gaze, her father would not deny his king such a simple request. He followed after the king and the two men disappeared into Winterfell causing the assembly to break up as her mother nodded to the master of horse signaling him to see the horses moved to the Winterfell stables as all other manner of settling in begun.

Not one for those kinds of affairs, Arya tried to make herself as small and discreet as possible as she moved to follow after her father and the king. Since everyone had assembled in the courtyard to greet the royal party, she did not have to worry about running into anyone on the way to the crypts so she was able to make good time catching up to the two men who were walking in a solemn silence.

Taking care to keep her distance from the men, Arya scampered from nook to cranny to keep herself out of view if either of the men decided to look behind them on the way to their destination. To her surprise, the two ended up in front of the bust of her aunt Lyanna. Since the men had stopped, Arya edged further into the small space between the final resting place of a Stark that had come long before her and the wall before lying down on her stomach and trying to be as still as possible.

"…everywhere I go, I see lion banners, Ned. They have me surrounded in my own castle. With Jon Arryn gone, I need someone that I can trust. I need this now, more than ever. Along the way here we were delayed by something I didn't think possible. The boy can do things, Ned. He can do things that shouldn't be possible…" The king's voice trailed off. "I've seen the skulls. I know that dragons existed but that time is done. The impossible was not possible. At least it wasn't until that gods' forsaken flash that swept through the land."

There was a silence before her father responded. "We saw the flash here too but we didn't know what to make of it. To think that such a thing was seen from here to Kings Landing seems like the musings of a madman."

"Aye, that it does," the king agreed heartily. "Then we found the boy. My first thought was to have him killed. Oh, don't look at me like that, Ned. Imagine if he was to use his abilities for war! He can summon ice and snow like what you would hear in a child's tale. What if he chose to use those powers against the realm? What if he chose to use those powers against me?"

"It was good of you not to have him killed," her father declared solemnly. "If you are truly worried about what his future may hold then you did the right thing in bringing him to your service. If any others begin to show that kind of power, it is better to have them in your ranks than rising up against you if they think that you will kill them for something that they had no control over."

The king laughed heartily at her father's words. "Right, you are! I hadn't even thought of it that way." The king's voice grew very serious. "So you think that there are others that may be able to do it too?"

"I have no way of knowing, your grace." Her father seemed to be choosing his words carefully. "I would expect that the answer is yes. Even though such a thing is rare, when I was a boy I heard the tales of people born able to see into the future and control beasts beyond any methods of taming. I hope that I am wrong but I can't help but to feel that maybe, just maybe, that flash was only the beginning."

"It's happening again Ned." The agitation in the king's voice was evident. "Just like when that bastard set the crown of beauty on my betrothed's lap, your sister's lap, this is something that cannot be ignored. Just like then, I need you at my side. You've always been the voice of reason in our friendship, let's make it official. You will be Hand of the King."

* * *

The sun fell from the sky then rose and fell again yet still the man dressed all in black continued his flight from the terrors that he had seen with an expression of sheer terror permanently set upon his face. The pursuit had become much easier for Ghost when the man's horse fell to the ground, never to rise again, after being pushed beyond the point of exhaustion. Still he did not reveal himself to the man directly.

After crossing the Wall, the connection to the one who cared expanded in the way that a small stream does when the warmth of summer melts away the cold of winter. Ghost's size was such that none of the lesser predators that claimed the land dared to come between the great hunter and his prey.

Without the man even knowing it, he was being herded in the direction that Ghost felt the connection to the kind one pulling him. As the sun's glow gave way to darkness, Ghost felt a presence in his mind that he had not felt since the battle with the cold ones.

Jon blinked and was momentarily disoriented by how close he was to the ground and how quickly he was moving. _I'm with Ghost again,_ Jon thought with delight as he threw back his head and let out a whoop of joy that came out as a howl that pierced the silence of Brandon's Gift.

The howl must have startled someone as he heard a man's voice curse, "Damn wolves, stay back the lot of you!"

There was the sound of flint being struck and Jon saw a man garbed in the blacks of the Night's Watch clutching a torch in his left hand with a sword brandished in his right. Though it would have been difficult to tell without the additional light, Jon clearly recognized the young ranger who had left his brothers to be slaughtered north of the Wall when those creatures with the glowing blue eyes attacked.

 _Good work, Ghost,_ Jon thought in approval of the direwolf's decision to follow the man rather than come back to his side after the battle. _We need him alive to figure out if he is merely craven or if he is a traitor like Alyn and those bastards from Eastwatch._

Though Ghost did not respond via thought, in the way that Jon had given the command, Jon felt sure that his companion had already determined to bring the man to him and was in the process of doing so. A menacing growl reverberated from Ghost's throat, causing the man to turn his attention to the impossibly large wolf that had attacked those blue eyed monsters who had slaughtered men of the Night's Watch as if it was child's play.

All hope of resistance in the man's eyes disappeared when he saw the creature that was pursuing him. Ghost's body surged forward in a burst of movement as a sharp bark broke the man from his stupor causing him to turn and run for his life.

 _I'll see you soon, Ghost,_ Jon promised as the torch light grew more and more distant. _Bring him to me and I'll be sure to find a treat to make it worth your while._

Ghost's tail started wagging as Jon felt himself slipping from the direwolf's skin as the beast pushed forward in pursuit of the member of the Night's Watch who ran.

* * *

Jon woke with a start and pushed the furs that were covering him off his body.

 **Alteration: Warg +5000  
Speech +500**

Jon cast a quick glance towards Ysolda's sleeping form, wrapped in furs only feet away from him and then to Ygritte who had resolutely taken the spot on his other side upon seeing where Ysolda intended to sleep. After verifying that the dark-haired Darkling and the fire-kissed Free Folk girls were still asleep, Jon pulled up the Stargaryen Ring menu to check on his current quest.

 _ **Return to Winterfell  
Main Objective: Make it back to Winterfell within two months.  
Secondary Objective: Raise Conjuration, Alteration, Illusion and Restoration skills to level 10.  
Tertiary Objective: Reach level 25 by the time that you reach Winterfell's gates  
Rewards for Main Objective: 1,000,000 Experience. 500 gold. Permission to leave Winterfell and explore the world to your heart's content. Arrive in time to save ?.  
Rewards for Secondary Objective: Save ? from a life as a cripple. Unlock ? quest.  
Rewards for Tertiary Objective: Physical Evolution will occur earlier than normal, granting you increased likelihood of survival in your trials to come along with many other benefits.**_

 _It seems like we are likely to make it back to Winterfell within the two month period allowed by the main objective. It's the other objectives that seem less likely to occur. Let me check my stats to see where I am with my progress since finding myself north of the wall._

 _ **Jon Snow Level 20: 2,533,349/2,989,006**_

 _ **S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Perks**_

 _ **Strength: 6  
Perception: 6  
**_ _Sixth Sense – The ability to read body language and situations allowing you to predict the most likely future outcome. What you choose to make of the information acquired by this perk is up to you._ _ **  
Endurance: 6  
Charisma: 4  
**_ _Situational Awareness – Basic understanding of how to compose yourself in a given situation to help obtain your desired results_ _ **  
Intelligence: 10  
**_ _Deeper Understanding – Get the most out of the books that you read. You can now find more insights in the books that you read._ _ **  
**_ _Read-Absorb –Absorb the content of a book to increase your knowledge of its subject. Time taken for successful absorption is equal to the amount of time it would take to naturally read the book.  
Read-Experience – Experience the content of a book. Choosing this method will provide a much more comprehensive of the contents of a book.  
Intermediate Mysticism – Allows recovery of MP at a rate double to your current Intelligence level per minute outside of combat._ _ **  
Agility: 5  
Luck: 5**_

 _I was able to update my S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Perks after the battle with the traitors from the Night's Watch. I'll have to work on getting the other perks up to the level of Intelligence but I can't help but think I am better off than I would have been if I had not put on the Stargaryen Ring in the first place._

 _ **Vitals**_

 _ **HP: 200/200  
SP: 350/350  
MP: 350/350**_

 _Right now, I'm all stamina and magic. I don't know what would be considered as typical health but I'll just have to try my best to avoid taking too much damage._

 _ **Skills**_

 _ **Archery 11 (200,300/205,500)  
Overdraw 2: **__Bows do 30% more damage.  
_ _ **Tracking Shot:**_ _Anticipate the way your opponent will move and adjust your aim accordingly. Shots to the head do three times more damage than regular shots. Chance for instant kill based on level of opponent relative to level of Archery skill._

 _ **Blocking 11 (121,200/205,500)  
Fundamental Defense: **__Blocks prevent 20% more damage_

 _ **Evasion 14 (509,950/552,550)  
Evasive Tactics: **__30% more likely to evade enemy attacks_

 _ **Light Armor 10 (51,950/102,400)  
Agile Defender: **__20% less damage taken when wearing Light Armor_

 _ **Heavy Armor**_

 _ **One-handed 16 (767,450/846,036)  
Armsman: **__One-Handed weapons do 20% more damage._ _ **  
Dual-wield:**_ _Use one handed weapons with equal proficiency with either or both hands._

 _ **Two-Handed 13 (355,001/425,500)  
Barbarian: **__Two-Handed weapons do 20% more damage._

Jon allowed himself a grin while viewing his combat skills. _With the exception of the heavy armor skill, all of my combat skills are at level 10 or higher. At this point, my strength, endurance, agility and stamina have allowed me to face a sea serpent and a solo battle against three experienced members of the Night's Watch. I don't think that many would be able to make such claims… Really, how many people find themselves facing sea serpents throughout their lives and not only living to tell the tale but defeating it, as well?_

 _ **Lock Picking 7 (10,500/12,800)**_

 _ **Pickpocket**_

 _ **Sneak 8 (16,580/25,600)  
Stealth: **__You are 20% harder to detect when sneaking._

 _ **Speech 8 (24,851/25,600)  
Taunt: **__Words have power. With your words you can cause people to act out of character often forcing errors and lapses of judgment. 30% chance of success against those with lower levels; effective reduced by 1% per level for targets with higher levels._ _ **  
Negotiation:**_ _20% more likely to reach a compromise  
_ _ **Command:**_ _The ability to give instruction and the likelihood that those instructions will be followed. The likelihood of a command's success depends upon the level of the one giving and the level of the one receiving the command, reputation and other variables._

 _ **Alchemy 8 (16,667/25,600)  
Alchemist: **__Brewed potions and poisons are 20% more effective._ _ **  
Potioneer's Instinct:**_ _Tasting ingredients will unlock their properties for use in poison and potion making._

 _ **Smithing 8 (18,000/25,600)  
Apprentice Smithing: **__Craft beginner weapons and armor that are 10% more effective than standard weapons and armor.  
_ _ **Leather Working:**_ _Craft and improve leather apparel and armor twice as much_

 _ **Enchanting 3 (500/800)**_

Jon furrowed his brow upon reading through the next set of skills. _Even_ t _hough only pickpocketing and enchanting are really low, none of the others have even reached level 10. Even if these skills may not come into play on the battlefield, they could be very important in the future. Alchemy and smithing are probably the least important along with pickpocketing. There are maesters to brew potions and smiths to craft armor and weapons, even if it may be cheaper to develop these skills so I can do so myself._

 _Being able to speak to others, to move without notice and to pick locks come in very handy in certain situations, as I have read about in the books that Maester Luwin provided for me. Pickpocketing though? The Warden of the North made it clear that he would not tolerate thievery on any level and I like having both of my hands too much to try and develop that skill._

 _ **Destruction 11 (128,500/205,000)  
Fireball 4 – Intermediate (1,500/1,600): **__Destruction magic that allows the user to shoot balls of fire from their hands. Cost: 50 MP. Damage: 40 HP (Strong likelihood of causing burn)._ _ **  
Flames 8 – Basic (13,000/25,600):**_ _Destruction magic that allows the user to shoot a torrent of fire from their hands. Cost 8 MP per second. Damage: 5 HP per second (Low likelihood of causing burn)._ _ **  
Frost 7 – Basic (10,300/12,800):**_ _Destruction magic that allows the user to shoot frost crystals from their hands in an arc that can hit multiple enemies at the same time. Currently shoots three snowflakes. Cost 10 MP. Damage: 5 HP per frost crystal (Low likelihood of freezing opponent)._ _ **  
Sparks 6 – Basic (5,000/6,400):**_ _Destruction magic that will call down the power of lightning from the sky that will home in on an opponent within 15 feet of the caster and strike without fail. Cost: 16 MP. Damage: 12 HP.  
_ _ **Magic Manipulation 10 (90,000/102,400):**_ _The ability to control the world as you see fit. The application of this skill is only limited by the creativity of the manipulator. If you can dream it, you can do it with Magic Manipulation._ _ **Level 10 Bonus:**_ Your increased magical aptitude has increased. Damage from Destruction magic doubled and spells' cost for basic level destruction reduced by half.

 _ **Conjuration 3 (500/800)**_

 _ **Alteration 8 (15,000/25,500)  
Warg 8 (15,000/25,500): **__The ability to enter and take control of another creature. The cost of this ability along with the variety of creatures that you can control is based on your relative levels and the familiarity between yourself and the creature that you wish to control. It will cost more MP to attempt to warg into a creature that is closer to your level and hostile towards you than it would to warg into the same creature if it was lower level and friendly towards you. The first time warging into a creature will have an additional MP cost to establish the warg link. As you warg more frequently with the same creature, the cost of warging into that creature will decrease._

 _ **Illusion 8 (13,500/25,600)  
Magical Distortion 7 (12,000/12,800): **__Using magic, blend an object perfectly with other objects in the vicinity to hide it perfectly from the untrained eye. The number of objects that can be placed under a magical distortion vary based on magical reserves and the cost of the magical distortion will vary based on mastery of illusion magic._

 _ **Restoration 7 12,000/12,700  
Magic Ward 7 12,000/12,700**_ _: There are two varieties of the basic Magic Ward. For 5 MP you can create a Magic Ward that will negate any damage from being taken from this spell. For 10 MP you can create a Reflective Magic Ward that will reflect the spell back upon the caster. Depending on your skill levels in other skills, either variety can be applied in a variety of ways which can then be used to negate damage._

Upon reading his magical skills, Jon frowned solemnly. _For the second objective of the Return to Winterfell quest, I need to get all of these skills up to level 10 before returning. Even with the three weeks between today and the time that we have to get back, it may not be long enough to get all of these skills to where they need to be._

 _I'll have to push myself as hard as I ever did with the sword or the bow if I am to succeed in that part of the quest._ Jon sighed as he looked around the camp at the sleeping Free Folk, catching sight of their sentry on the camp's perimeter. _Even if I was able to convince them to let me go off and train, I doubt I could get away with doing magic so close to them without someone finding out. I'll have to tell Mance about my abilities if I want to have any chance of getting away from the group to train._

Jon closed the menu and pushed himself up from his position on the ground, intent on seeking out the leader of the Free Folk. Though he thought he did a good job of not disturbing the young women sleeping on either side of him, for a moment it seemed that Ysolda becoming restless and was on the verge of waking up before settling back into what appeared to be a peaceful slumber.

As Jon found his footing, again, his head swiveled between the sleeping forms of Ygritte and Ysolda to verify that his stealthy rise was unnoticed. On a whim, Jon called upon his magic and cast a pair of magical distortions in quick succession. The first was on the area where his furs had been set up. If anyone was to look at the spot, they would see exactly what was to be expected at that time of night, Jon Snow fast asleep. The second caused him to turn invisible, as he was able to do during his fight against Alyn and the other traitorous Brothers of the Nightswatch.

 **Sneak +200  
Illusion: Magical Distortion +3000**

As soon as Jon felt the rush of the magic leaving his body, Jon noticed Ysolda stirring. Turning his head toward her, he noticed that her eyes were open and seemed to be focused on where he was standing before she looked toward his sleeping shape and shook her head before settling back into her furs and turning her body so she was lying on her side facing the magical distortion that had replaced a sleeping Jon before closing her eyes again.

With as much stealth as his current Sneak level would allow, Jon walked away from the clearing where the Free Folk had stopped to make camp for the night. His path brought him to a body of water. _Is this the Last River? Or could we possibly have made it to Long Lake already? Could this be another body of water entirely?_ Jon thought to himself while putting his hand on his sword, unwilling to be caught off guard in the event that mudcrabs or Mirelurks had already claimed the territory.

As Jon continued walking along the bank he felt his boots sink into the sand, while running his hand along an impossibly smooth rock face that had no imperfections to allow a man to climb to the top, and he noticed a slight feeling of magic in the air and which seemed to call out to him like a siren to a sailor lost at sea. This magical call seemed to increase in volume as he continued on his path. The impossibly smooth stone wall seemed to increase in size with each passing step until it was at least ten times higher than he was tall.

Eventually, the wall of stone started to decrease in size and Jon, after casting a glance toward the water, realized that on the opposite side of the water there was an equally smooth rocky surface that he imagined would fit perfectly against the rocky surface he was following to form a hill. He mused that in the days of the First Men that a giant swung a sword as sharp as cut the sword used by Lord Eddard Stark, Warden of the North when delivering the king's justice to any that would dare forsake the vows they took when swearing in as members of the Nights Watch to split the hill so cleanly.

When the stone rock face, had diminished to an extent that allowed him to step onto the hill, Jon did just that and continued to follow the magic that was calling out to him. On top of the hill was an exceptionally large tree that stood watch over the river surrounded by shrubbery. As he approached the large tree, there was a slight shimmer as it was revealed that there was a hole that seemed just large enough for a person to squeeze through if they so desired.

Though it was unclear where such a passage would take him, Jon remembered the last time such a place revealed itself to him. _I have no desire to find myself transported north of the Wall again but who knows when I will have this kind of chance again while traveling with the Free Folk. Here goes nothing,_ Jon thought as he pushed himself into the opening.

To his surprise, the ground was much less stable than he had initially suspected and Jon found himself sliding downward through a dense layer of cobwebs that must have taken years to accumulate. When he finally came to a stop on level ground, Jon was unsure exactly how far he had gone. He had the feeling that he was much further underground than he had been when he had been running his hand along the outer face of the cave but how far underground was a mystery.

Still following the magical call that had brought him to the cave in the first place, Jon was able to locate an unlit torch on the wall and was not surprised when he was prompted to light the torches.

 _ **Use 50 MP to light the torches?**_

Jon tapped the 'Yes' pane that had appeared before him causing the torch to light followed by another in a passageway that connected the cave where he landed to the mysteries that lay beyond.

 _ **Destruction: Flames +500**_

Jon took a quick look around to make sure that nothing of interest had become visible with the light of the torch. Besides walls that were covered in thick cobwebs from the floor to as high as the light reached, there was nothing else to be seen in the cavern that Jon had somewhat unwittingly entered.

Jon followed the light, disturbing the webbing that seemed to cover every available surface of the cavern. _If anyone else had found this place, it must have been ages ago._ _It would take years for a place like Winterfell to be so overrun._ Jon thought with a quick snort. _Lady Catelyn would have a fit if the castle fell into such poor keeping._

Jon continued walking until the passage ended in a thick web that spanned from one wall of the passage to the other. After a quick look around to make sure that none of the creepy-crawlies that had left the webbing were in the area, Jon raised his hand and gave it a firm push. Though the web did not stick to his hand, it also did not give to the force of his push.

Keeping his hand raised, Jon summoned a fireball which burned a hole in the center of the webbing before continuing into the next room and exploding on the floor in a shower of flames. Though Jon was captivated in the way that the webbing continued to burn until the entirety of the doorway was revealed in its entirety, his keen hearing picked up a frenetic tapping sound that seemed to be drawing nearer to his location.

 _ **Destruction: Fireball +350**_

Instead of charging into the newly revealed chamber, Jon retreated back through the passage that he had followed since his unexpected arrival in the cave. The strategic retreat provided Jon the opportunity to determine the source of the tapping sound as a large spider that stood as tall as normal dog scuttled past the door before turning to observe the broken webbing on the door.

Jon could see the black hairs along its body glistening in the torchlight but the large, hairy arachnid's body was far less intimidating than the creature's eyes. Unlike the other, smaller spiders that he had encountered throughout his life, this spider had two large eyes set above its dripping fangs that were far more like what he would see on a man. These large eyes were each surrounded by three smaller eyes that Jon supposed gave the spider a much wider range of vision than his own two eyes provided.

This expanded range of vision worked against Jon as the spider seemed to have caught sight of him even as he fell back along the corridor. The spider charged at Jon and shot a ball of webbing from its mouth at Jon as it closed the distance.

Not willing to risk being caught by the sticky substance with the prospect of those daunting fangs loomed, Jon channeled his magic quickly into his hands to create a Magic Ward to stop the projectile in midair before it fell harmlessly to the ground.

 _ **Restoration: +500 Magic Ward**_

Jon drew his sword but was forced to throw up another ward quickly as the spider spat another ball of webbing at him before pouncing and being deflected by the magic ward.

 _ **Restoration: +1000 Magic Ward**_

 _It only takes 5 MP to create the Magic Ward. Even after casting the fireball and three Magic Wards, I still have 285 MP. Even though I could probably take the spider out pretty quickly, I should probably take advantage of the chance to get experience for the Magic Ward. If it's 500 experience per warded attack, I'll get a ton of experience by letting it attack and then I can take it out when I run out of MP,_ Jon thought to himself as he cast another ward. _I'll just have to be careful when I'm out of MP and attacking later._

 _ **Restoration: +500 Magic Ward**_

And so it went, the spider would attack with charges and blasts of webbing and Jon would defend with a magic ward. 56 attacks and 56 magic wards later, Jon finally ran out of MP.

 _ **Restoration: +28,000 Magic Ward**_

Fortunately, the spider did not seem to be the most intelligent or adaptable of creatures as it pounced forward in another attempt to sink its teeth into Jon's body to deliver the poison that continued to drip from its fangs. In this case, it did not bounce off of a magic ward but it sailed past Jon as he threw his body to the side while bringing his sword to bear with a heavy two-handed blow that cut deep into the spider's abdomen.

 _ **Evasion +300  
Two-Handed +400**_

Though wounded, the spider turned quickly upon landing and lunged at Jon again. Jon hopped backward while bringing the sword down in a sweeping arc with both hands to cleave the spider's head in two.

 _ **Evasion +300  
Two-Handed +400**_

Once the spider's limbs stopped twitching, Jon retrieved the loot from the spider and added it to his inventory.

 _ **Fanged Weaver Venom (2)  
Weaver Silk (4)**_

 _I could probably collect the silk from the walls but, with as much silk as there is around here, there are probably plenty move of these Fanged Weavers to deal with,_ Jon considered while appraising the walls of the passageway. _Also, I don't know how much more there is to this cave. I don't want to have to explain where I disappeared to Mance if I'm not back before the sun rises._

With his decision in mind, Jon again progressed through the passageway to the door that had been revealed before his encounter with the Fanged Weaver spider.

 _My Intermediate Mysticism lets me recover twice as much MP per minute as my current intelligence level. It'll take a bit under 20 minutes until my MP is recovered. Maybe I should use my bow to deal with any other spiders that may appear while my MP recovers._ Jon acted on his decision as he sheathed his sword and withdrew the Hawksflight Bow from his inventory. _This should also give me some Stealth experience if I am able to shoot the spiders before they see me._

Jon nodded to himself while readying the bow ahead of him as he explored the new chamber. Like the chamber that he found himself in initially, there did not seem to be anything in that chamber either. However, when Jon took his second step into the room, four Fanged Weaver spiders lowered themselves to the floor with strings of web extending to the ceiling to challenge the intruder.

Fortunately, the spiders did not seem to have much health. It only took two well placed arrows per spider to cause them to drop to the floor and succumb to the embrace of death.

 _ **Archery +3200  
Fanged Weaver Venom (8)  
Weaver Silk (16)**_

Though there was no visible exit from the room, there was a section of the wall that seemed to be much more densely covered in webbing than the standard coating on the walls and ceiling of the room. While holding his bow in his left hand, Jon unsheathed his sword with is right hand and struck the dense section of webbing.

 _ **One-Handed +100**_

Like with the fireball, his slash seemed to unravel the rest of the webbing that had concealed the room's exit. Sheathing his sword, Jon put an arrow on the bow's string to ready himself for the coming challenges. With a deep breath, Jon stepped through the exit into the passageway with his eyes constantly searching the walls and ceilings ahead of him for any other spiders that may be interested in turning him into a midnight snack.

This particular passageway winded further downward that the previous one that Jon had walked and it seemed to become narrower the further he walked until he reached and end that was, unsurprisingly, blocked by thick webbing. With a quick swipe of his sword, Jon was able to clear the webbing before stepping back and listening for the telltale tapping that would accompany an approaching spider… or spiders.

After a few moments without a sound, Jon dared to step forward and lean his body into the chamber to get a look around. This was by far the darkest chamber that Jon had encountered so far. There seemed to be only one torch at the far end of the chamber, at least as far away from Jon as the Stark table was from the entrance to the great hall of Winterfell.

Jon took a deep breath to steady himself before stepping forward and entering the room. Based on his previous experiences he drew his sword, expecting an enemy to appear before him. He took one step then another and he kept walking, feeling uneasy as his expectations were unmet by the large chamber that he had entered. Shaking his head, as if to dismiss the feeling of uneasiness that had been present since he entered the chamber, Jon sheathed his sword and continued walking through the chamber towards the source of light on the far side of the room.

After a hundred paces, Jon had just reached the center of the room. Without stopping, his head swiveled as he tried to see into the darkness that obscured his view of everything in the room besides the lone torch and the light from the passage that had brought Jon to his current location.

 _I have a bad feeling about this,_ Jon thought to himself. _If only I had a way to light this room._

Jon stopped walking as he had a moment of inspiration. He raised his left hand while angling his palm towards the ceiling and pushed magic towards his palm while imagining how the light of the sun pierces through the darkness of night.

Nothing happened. Jon furrowed his brow and focused harder on his thoughts of the sun in the sky while pushing still more magic into his palm. After a long minute, Jon was ready to give up his efforts. Fortunately, just before he stopped channeling his magic there was a bright flash and a brilliant ball of light drifted up from his hand towards the ceiling.

 _ **Destruction: Magic Manipulation +5000**_

 _ **Conjuration: Light +5000  
Light: Creates a ball of light that will float above you, illuminating your path. This ball of light will follow the caster as they move through the world. With finer control of your magic, you will have the ability to direct the ball of light as you please. 10 MP used per 30 seconds that the ball of light remains in existence.**_

Jon took a deep breath after he had used the majority of the MP that had recovered to cast Light. _Magic Manipulation is my favorite. Though it may not be the best way to discover new magic since that cost much more MP than it should have for a spell that only requires 10 MP per second._

A drip on Jon's shoulder snapped him out of his musings as his head jerked upwards to see his Light spell had done exactly what it was meant to and illuminated a ceiling covered in Fanged Weaver silk. The Light also illuminated a Fanged Weaver spider that dwarfed the spiders that he encountered so far.

As the light reflected off each of the spider's beady eyes, Jon threw himself backward with a mighty leap just as the spider released from the ceiling and landed right where Jon had formerly been standing. Jon's last thought as he drew his sword and readied himself for battle: _I should have saved my MP._

* * *

 **AN3: There you have it, chapter 18. I hope you enjoyed and aren't too upset about the cliff hanger! Please review and let me know your thoughts. I have a plan regarding where I see the story going but if you have something that you'd like to see, outside of a harem, let me know and if it can fit without causing the story to diverge too much from the direction that I have planned then I'll try to include it. the whole world is available for us to play with so let's have fun with all of the options that are out there in the world of Westeros.**


	19. SR019

**AN: Thanks to everyone that has reviewed. There were several ideas that will definitely be incorporated. Keep them coming in the comments! I am humbled that this story has broken the 500 review mark, when I first decided to put my spin on a gamer story, I didn't dare to hope that there would be so much support. I read every review and they mean the world to me.**

* * *

With his magic depleted, Jon was extremely wary of the over-sized Fanged Weaver spider. Its beady eyes, bristling black hair, shiny black coloring and the blood-red skull-shaped mark covering the large abdomen were the stuff of nightmares. His already depleted store of MP was being drained by the Light that he had conjured before being forced into battle with the hairy arachnid.

While ducking under a blast of webbing that was about the size of one of the spider's smaller counterparts, Jon accessed his inventory and drew a second sword which he equipped in his left hand. With both swords at the ready, Jon kept low while charging at the beast.

 _Hopefully, I can stop it from spitting those blasted webs if I can attack it from close range._

His charge brought him within an arm's reach of the Fanged Weaver and Jon aimed a strike at its oversized body with the sword in his right hand. The spider shifted just enough that the sword strike was slowed by the stiff, bristly hairs on its legs before clanking against the tough exoskeleton and bouncing off.

Though the result of the strike caused Jon to go slightly off balance, he was able to adjust on the fly and thrust the sword in his left hand forward to score a shallow cut on the body of the spider as it spun to stare him down with its lifeless eyes.

After a brief moment of contemplation, the spider lunged at Jon with a yellowish substance dripping from fangs that would make the meanest of hunting knives seem small and insignificant. Jon quickly shifted his body, pointed his swords to the ground, lowered his right shoulder then launched himself into a roll. As his body passed over his shoulder, Jon whipped both of his swords around and scored a pair of deep gashes on the underside of the spider's body which proceeded to drip a thick ichor on the floor of the chamber.

The spider emitted a high pitch screech to convey the rage it felt due to Jon's attack before spitting a barrage of webbing at Jon in an attempt to slow down the prey that dared to defy its will.

Jon moved without thought as his instincts maneuvered him through the blasts of webbing and steadily closer to the enraged arachnid.

Unlike the previous time that Jon charged, the spider was unwilling to let Jon get close. Just as he stepped into range, the spider pushed itself off the ground while twisting its body rapidly and extending its legs to full length. By doing this, the spider's body was transformed into a shuriken-like weapon that Jon saw but was unable to dodge as he was knocked ten feet from his previous location and fell to the floor with a heavy thud.

Pushing his body from the floor with the hilt from one of his swords, Jon shook his head to clear the stupor from the hit and witnessed the end of the spider's momentum as it came to a stop before a series of hops ended with another stare down between the spider and the Snow.

Jon clenched his teeth as he set off running at path diagonal to the spider, in an attempt to get out of its field of vision. The spider was having none of that as its eight legs made a staccato beat on the floor like a muted drum for a marching war party. Though Jon kept running, the steady rhythm of the eight legs moving in unison made sure that the spider did not lose track of what it thought to be its next meal.

Realizing that his effort to reach the spider's blind spot was futile at this point in time, Jon changed his tactics and planted his right foot in the floor before charging directly towards the spider. Again, the charge was met with a barrage of webbing that Jon was able to navigate through due to his elevated evasion abilities.

Having learned from his previous mistake, Jon stopped his charge and leapt back to avoid the limbs that spun with enough force to bodily throw him ten feet if they were to connect. As the spider dropped down to the floor, Jon rushed in and slashed at the still spinning body of the spider while keeping his feet moving as if he was running to avoid the limbs that still had the capacity to make him lose his footing if he was not cognizant of their location.

As the spinning stopped, Jon took off running to distance himself from the wounded spider. Though Jon had not been able to crack through the thick exoskeleton, he had scored several significant gashes on the spider's body that were steadily relieving the spider of its vitality.

Apparently the spider had also learned from its previous interactions with Jon as it refrained from sending a barrage of web blasts at Jon, it elected to shoot a continuous blast of webbing at Jon from its mouth that coated the floor as he evaded with relative ease.

However, Jon would learn that all good things come to an end as his boot landed on the ground and refused to move. With Jon's foot held in place, it was not long before he found himself bound to the ground by the spider's web.

As the spider steadily crept closer, the telltale tapping caused Jon's heartrate to accelerate. Though his MP were still depleted from the conjuration of the light spell, Jon focused all of his energies in an attempt to prevent the inevitable conclusion for any creature with the misfortune to find itself caught in a spider's web.

Recalling how much energy it took to conjure a simple ball of light, Jon focused his entire being into a vision of the spider leaving him alone while he freed himself from the webbing that bound him.

Each second that passed with the spider slowly advancing to its captured foe was a failure for Jon. Still he kept pushing even as his vision dimmed and sweat poured from his body with the amount of energy he was committing to his goal. As the spider drew itself to tower over its defeated foe, Jon kept pushing his energy into the Magic Manipulation.

Even as the tips of the fangs broke through the sticky silk that had trapped Jon, he did not allow his concentration to break. Jon's eyes widened as the needle sharp tips of the spider's fangs broke the skin on the right side of his neck and he pushed everything he had into his purpose.

He was awarded with a series of notifications.

 _ **Evasion +500+500+3000+3000+4000+3200+7800  
One-Handed +500+500+1000+4000  
Light Armor +1000+1000  
Destruction: Magic Manipulation +10000  
Illusion: Calm +10000  
Calm: **__Calm is a novice spell that will cause a hostile creature or person to cease their aggressions until they are enraged for any reason. Spell cost determined by the level of the target relative to your level; base cost 50 MP +/- 1% for every level higher/lower the target is when compared to the caster._

* * *

Jon woke to a tickling feeling on his face. Though his world was still slightly dark around the edges he could not help but notice that his view of the world was blocked by a sheet of lilac hair, that he almost mistook for white or blonde in the distant light cast by the torch, had . The presence of the hair was an unexpected surprise to be sure but even more surprising was the mysterious sensation on his neck. There was a throbbing ache that seemed to pulse with a warm, wet, insistent suction that was firmly rooted by the soft pressure of lips on his tender skin.

He tried to lift his left arm and sit up but whomever, or whatever, was attending to his neck caught his wrist in the apex of the space between its warm thighs as he tried to raise his arm. Jon fought a blush at the sudden confirmation that whoever currently had their lips affixed to his neck was certainly a female as there was no way to disguise such a thing with his wrist held in such a tight grip in such an intimate location.

With a croak, Jon tried to find his voice. This caused a small pressure that had been applied to his chest to move to cover his mouth. As the hand slipped over his mouth, Jon noticed the entrancingly black, long nails that seemed to be deliberately held away from his face in an attempt to keep him safe from their predatorily sharp edges. His eyes followed the inky blackness of the nails up the long fingers, through the slender hand, over the graceful forearm to the middle of the woman's toned bicep which was circled by a pair of golden rings that held what must have been a black glove and preempted the change from the darkest of blacks to the palest of whites.

"Mmmhmmmhmm," Jon tried to speak, which prompted additional pressure on his mouth from the hand and an extra squeeze of his wrist as the legs drew together insistently, further restraining his wrist with warm flesh and silky fabric. Additionally, the suction from the lips on his neck wavered slightly as the hair shook back and forth as the woman nonverbally communicated her disagreement.

Though Jon wanted nothing more than to question the woman about what had happened to the spider and to warm her of the potential danger in the chamber, he forced himself to lay back and accept her ministrations while contemplating how he would much prefer her teeth at his throat to the spider that was last attacking him when he was bound to the floor.

 _Wait a minute_ , Jon thought while moving his left arm and legs slightly. _I was bound by the spider's web when it attacked. How is it that I am free now?_

The pressure on his mouth and wrist were increased again and the woman's other hand swatted his stomach in warning before resting there, just above the leather belt that held up his black leather cuisse. He knew it was not the time but he could not help his body's reaction…

As his blood pressure started to rise, the hand started to rub the tight muscles of his stomach and he felt the pressure on his neck increase substantially. After a minute that almost had Jon's head spinning, the suction stopped suddenly and he turned his head to catch a glimpse of the woman that had just performed such an intimate action.

"Remove your hand from the back of my leg, if you wish to keep it," Jon's hand had curled around the woman's thigh just under the curve of her shapely hindquarters when she had pulled away from his neck in an involuntary attempt to maintain the feeling of her body pressed against his own. "I apologize for my forward behavior but the poison had to be removed."

The woman stood and raised her gaze to meet Jon squarely in the eye. Jon's gaze took in her bare feet with gold rings attached to that same black fabric that encircled her long legs and were topped by golden rings similar to those present on her biceps nestled on the creamy skin of her thigh. At the juncture where her legs met her body, there were the same gold rings on the leg holes of the scant black garment that covered her most private parts before the fabric tapered into a small strip of fabric that rose from her pelvis over her flat stomach, covering her navel while leaving the curve of her sides exposed before tunneling outward to contour around the curve of her breasts and ending at a similar golden choker around her neck set with a red stone that seemed to beat like a heart.

"There's nothing to forgive," Jon managed to say while pushing himself to standing position with a wince, counting himself lucky to have anything to distract from the sight of her. With a deep breath, he shook his head and sought out the face of the woman who had appeared to save him when all had seemed lost. What he saw caused his breath to catch in his throat. "What magic is this?"

The woman raised her perfectly symmetrical face and shook her lilac hair to frame her face revealing a decisive chin, pouty lips set on a heart-shaped face and incredible dark eyes set under a… _What in the name of the Old Gods?!_

Above her eyes was a second, equally dark, set of eyes. All four of them were staring at Jon with a look of annoyance. Though she did not seem like she was surprised by Jon's reaction, he could definitely sense her annoyance. In an attempt not to stare at the eyes that seemed to be boring into his soul, Jon's eyes drifted down to the fabric covering her midsection and he noticed that there were two red lines that disappeared diagonally into the fabric of her outfit, if you could call it that.

His mouth fell open as he took a step toward her with his arm outstretched. "But why?"

"I didn't ask to be made this way," she answered while turning to show him her back.

Jon started to respond but the words died in his throat when he saw the angry red welts covering the otherwise flawless cream-colored skin on her back and the blood red skull shaped mark nestled on the small of her back. Jon would later claim it was because of the light of the torch but he could not help but notice that although the garment that was small in the front it was virtually nonexistent in the back. He could see both of her lovely cheeks in their full glory with only the smallest sliver of black fabric nestled between them.

She did not give him much time to stare as she promptly turned around to face him again. "I was punished for my hubris by one of the OldGgods. People came from far and wide to purchase the finest weaved goods in the world crafted by the masterful hand of Arachne. Due to my hubris, I accepted a weaving challenge from a tramp of a woman who claimed that there was no one in all of the world that could have more skill when it came to weaving than she."

Arachne rubbed her left bicep with her right arm, causing her impressive bust to rise and fall almost hypnotically while casting her gaze towards the ground. "I have had many years to reflect on this event and believe that what happened next was the reason for all that transpired next. We weaved four tapestries each. She weaved scenes of the Old Gods punishing mortals that dared to challenge them while I, foolishly, wove depictions of mortals being wronged by the same gods."

Jon stepped toward her, wanting to comfort her despites the impulses waring him to stay away, and she involuntarily took a step backwards, caught-up in her story. "When the fourth and final tapestries were finished, there was no question as to which were the most beautiful. That is what cursed me. She was enraged that she had been bested by a mortal and incensed at the perceived slights to the Old Gods that were depicted in my tapestries."

She shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. "She cursed me and I became the creature that you encountered earlier. I have known nothing but the insatiable hunger since being forced into that form while having no control of my actions. Nothing, until your magic, was able to block the curse that had kept me ensnared for all of these years. It was the least that I could do to try to counter the venom once the hold was broken."

Reeling from her story, Jon asked the first thing that came to his mind. "How were you able to counter the venom?"

Arachne took a step forward while dropping her head forward then throwing it back to expose her forehead in its entirety. Though the bottom two eyes in the center were in the correct position for a beautiful woman, there was the pair of eyes immediately above them as well as two eyes on each of her temples, just outside of the four eyes in the center of her face.

The effect of the eyes was unnerving, as was the thought that this beautiful woman was the very same spider that he had done battle with not so long ago that had tried to eat him. These thoughts were countered by the fact that she also had apparently been able to save him once she had been returned to her more human form.

"Lucky for both of us, it was just the tip of the fangs that had penetrated your skin before your magic broke through the transformation. Once I had readjusted to this form, I did the only thing I knew to counter a poisonous bite and sucked the poisoned blood from your body."

"I've heard of sucking the blood from a poisoned wound but, from what I understand, you are supposed to spit the blood out otherwise you risk poisoning yourself."

"Even though my body may appear to be human, I don't think that your magic is currently strong enough to break the curse set upon me by the Old God." Arachne pulled her lips back in a smile and revealed the fangs of a predator. "I could sense the poison coursing through your blood and was able to use magic to call it back to me."

Jon shifted uncomfortably. "Thanks for that. Look, about attacking you earlier…"

Arachne cut him off before he could continue, "Unfortunately, you are not the first being to find themselves in this chamber. The others were not so fortunate. I do not hold it against you that you would fight for your life when the curse made me try to kill you."

"Does the curse still make you want to kill me?" Jon asked warily. Though every part of her body from the neck down called to him like a moth to a flame, he couldn't help but think that she may be trying to get him to lower his guard.

"To be honest with you, yes, I still feel the drive from the curse." When Jon shifted to a defensive stance and his head whipped from side to side looking for his weapons, she continued. "But it is the trickle of a stream compared to the indomitable force of a river."

"So where does this leave us?" Jon asked as he located his blades and retrieved them, sheathing one before putting the other back into his inventory. "How long was I out?"

"Time moves differently here." Arachne swept her arm, gesturing to the chamber. "My cursed webbing has covered almost every surface of this place. Before you, this cursed webbing has never failed to capture anything that dared to move through these halls including time itself."

Jon's eyes went wide at her proclamation. "How can that be? How can you hold time?"

"I do not claim the power as my own." She answered while gesturing for him to follow as she started walking towards the lone torch illuminating the room since Jon's Light had ceased to exist when he lost consciousness. "I believe it to be due to the curse of the Old One."

Jon followed her, slightly disappointed that the light ahead of her did nothing to illuminate the pale flesh of her rear end. _She does cut an impressive figure silhouetted against the light of the torch._

"Where are you taking me?" Jon asked, to steer his mind away from conflicting thoughts of desire to feel her body pressed against his again and wariness that the Calm that allowed her beauty to be revealed would be broken, causing her to transform again.

"I sense that there is something that we need to see. It is calling to me in the same way that the poison called to my magic when I was drawing it from your body."

Jon took a few quick steps to catch up with her before gently resting his hand on her shoulder causing her to turn to face him. "What do you know of magic?"

"Before I was cursed for my hubris, I had learned some of the more basic healing spells available at the time. My specialty was weaving, not magic."

"But in your time, did many know and use magic?"

"Of course, people used magic." Arachne confirmed with a puzzled look on her face. "There is magic in everything and cutting yourself off from that magic would be like going through life without the ability to see or without the ability to feel. Surely you must know this, with how you used magic earlier?"

"Until very recently, I had only heard of magic in stories. Like the dragons of old, it was something that was said to exist that no one alive now had ever seen with their own eyes. Even the maesters of the Citadel do not truly understand or seek out the secrets of magic. It is almost like they wish that the world would forget."

"I know nothing of your maesters or your Citadel but, to try and make people forget about magic…" Arachne shuddered and crossed her arms across her body to rub her exposed sides with her gloved hands.

Jon was mesmerized at the sight of her hands moving up and down the curve of her body and a question burst from his lips. "Are you cold? That outfit doesn't seem like it would offer much protection against the cold of winter."

Arachne's right hand rose from her side and rested on the pulsating red gem nestled in the gold choker on her neck. "No, the power of the Old One is still strong. My punishment was an eternity of weaving to bring death to the mortals that would dare to challenge the gods. Her power still courses through me ad keeps me warm."

"Did you always dress like that?" Jon made a show of looking her body up and down. "Things must have been very different in your time."

"From what you have told me, things were very different indeed. No, this is not something that I would have typically wore before I was cursed. Though I was proud of my body, a sight like this would have been reserved for my husband."

"Reserved for your husband," Jon nodded then realizing what she said and averting his gaze. "I should not have looked on you as I have."

"You have seen the curse that is upon me. Compared to that, I find no shame in you seeing me as I am now."

Jon nodded in understanding and brought his eyes to her face. "What is it like to have the extra eyes?"

Arachne chuckled as Jon's hands quickly covered his mouth at the insensitive question that he had just asked. "It is different than what I am used to in this body but not so different than how I viewed the world in the time since I was cursed. Do they bother you?"

Jon's hands dropped from his face as he tilted his head to the side to consider her face. "With all of the crazy and unbelievable things that I have seen over the last few months, it will take more than that to bother me. Though, others may not feel the same way."

"Can you conceal them?" Arachne asked, genuinely curious about what Jon was able to do with magic.

"I have never done something like that," Jon admitted while rubbing his left arm with his right sheepishly. "I could cast an illusion to prevent others from seeing them but if the illusion was broken for whatever reason then they would be visible to any who saw you."

"Do you know of any other magic that could offer a more permanent solution?" Arachne stepped closer to Jon and leaned forward so their faces were mere inches apart.

Jon's breath caught at the sudden closeness and his eyes traveled from the two normally positioned eyes to her lips for a moment before back up to the other eyes on her forehead. "I have been able to travel into the skin of my direwolf using Alteration magic. Though warging is only temporary, it seems more likely that Alteration magic would offer a solution than Destruction, Conjuration, Illusion or Restoration magic."

"So can you do it?"

"As I am right now, I doubt it." Jon shook his head causing a disappointed look to appear on Arachne's face. "But if what you say is true and time truly does not move within this place then it seems that I may be able to train up my magic to be able to do such a thing."

"I do not understand why you would not just do it now." Arachne took a step backwards to put some distance between her and Jon. "Do you think I need to remember that I am a monster?"

"No, no, no! That's not it at all," Jon tried to reassure her. "I don't know what the spell is, or that one even exists, but I can manipulate magic to do my bidding. I used this ability earlier to cast the light that drew you to me but doing so costs much more magic than using a spell that I already knew. I didn't have a chance to figure out how much more magic it costs to learn a spell this way but I would guess that it is at least five times more magic than cast a spell that I have learned already."

"How much training would you need to be able to try doing something like this?"

 _Should I tell her about the Stargaryan Ring? She's told me about herself to an extent but I have no idea what her goals may be. What if we leave here and she decides that she does not want anything to do with me? I don't want knowledge of the ring to be spread throughout the world if she chooses to follow a different path._

 _ **Quest Alert! Eyes on the Prize  
Main Objective: **__Assist Arachne in altering her appearance so she can travel through the world unmolested by those that would fear someone that looked different than themselves._ _ **  
Quest Rewards for Completion:**_ _1,000,000 experience, Weaver Silk Under Armor set, Unlock Broken Treasure quest, gain Arachne as companion, Spell Tome: ?._ _ **  
Quest Penalties for Failure:**_ _Having been temporarily overcome by you magic, the Old God's curse will strengthen to the point that it cannot be broken again, forever causing Arachne to lose herself to the spider that you have held at bay._

 _1,000,000 experience?! That's as much experience as the Return to Winterfell quest. If that wasn't enough to make me accept, I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that I didn't do everything that I could to prevent Arachne from having to spend the rest of her days as a monstrous spider._ Jon thought to himself before accepting the quest and responding."That's tough to say. If I had to guess, I imagine that I would need to almost double my total magical reserves."

Arachne let out a deep breath that Jon had not realized she was holding. "Then let's see what is calling to me and get to training."

Jon nodded and gestured for her to lead on. Lead, she did. Though they fell quiet while they walked the length of the room the silence was far from awkward since they had reached an agreement on their immediate plans.

When they reached the end of the room, she waved her hand at an especially dense section of webbing causing it to disintegrate and reveal a staircase that wound up until it was no longer visible despite the torches that provided much more light than was present in the previous chamber.

After a brief look shared by Jon and Arachne, she stepped onto the staircase and started climbing. Jon thanked the gods that had blessed him with such a view as he was given the perfect reason to watch the way the muscles of her legs and butt contracted with each step she took.

Since she was focused on the task of climbing, Jon felt confident that he could adjust himself in his cuisse without her thinking that he was doing anything untoward or inappropriate. Of course, as soon as he reached down to adjust, she angled her head over her right shoulder and caught him in the act with his hand gripping his stiff member with the eyes on her temple.

"It's not what it looked like," Jon started as he took the next few steps quickly in an attempt to catch up to her and reassure her.

When he spoke, she stopped moving causing Jon to run into her in his haste. Though both of them remained upright, the brief collision was enough to cause his hardness to rub against the exposed flesh of her bottom.

"Your words say one thing but your body says another. Though I should be offended, it is so refreshing to smell anything other than fear coming from a man after all of this time that I will forgive you."

"I meant no offense," Jon tried to explain only to be cut off.

"I'm sure that you didn't. I told you this was only meant to be seen by my husband. You had the exact reaction that was intended. Though, I would have your name if you are going to be carrying on in such a way."

 _She would have my name? Surely, she can't mean she would take my name? Maybe she just wants to know my name. That must be it, we covered a lot about her but somehow we missed that._

"I'm waiting," Arachne had crossed her arms and was tapping her foot.

"Jon. Jon Snow."

"See unlike _some_ things, that wasn't so hard." Arachne said as she resumed climbing and curled her finger towards Jon in a gesture for him to follow.

Jon quickly finished his adjustment and was rewarded by Arachne shaking her hips as they both fell into another companionable silence.

After enough steps to get to the tallest tower at Winterfell, the pair had reached a landing with a door that was curiously absent of the webbing that had been so present throughout the rest of the cave.

"Is it locked?" Jon asked gesturing toward the door.

"Perhaps," Arachne acknowledged before her left hand rose to run her fingers against the pulsating gem on her throat. "I don't think it will be a problem, the magic feels the same."

She reached out her right hand while keeping her left on the gem and touched the handle. This caused a scraping sound followed by the heavy thud of a lock being drawn before she turned the handle and was able to push the door open with little resistance.

As they entered the room, Jon was struck as he noticed a surprising similarity to the Maester Luwin's room in Winterfell. There was a large desk, covered in parchment on the wall to the left of the entrance that had a heavy door to its right. Further from Jon's vantage point, on the other side of the heavy door next to the desk, nestled in the far left corner of the room was a bed with a heavy trunk at its foot. A shelf filled with books spanned the rest of the distance from the trunk to the wall and continued along the right wall all the way to the fireplace which was immediately opposite the door. In the corner closes to the door were two large chairs that looked like they had not been used in quite some time, with a small table in easy reach in front of them.

Arachne did not comment on the contents of the room. Instead, she moved to the trunk and bent over to examine the latch, inadvertently giving Jon a view that he was sure to remember until the final breath left his body.

"It's locked," she said simply while lifting a heavy deadbolt in her slender hand.

"Can you open it the same way that you opened the door?"

She toughed the gem and with her left hand again but this time there was no effect as the lock remained resolutely closed. "It's not working."

"There's got to be a key around here somewhere." Jon moved over to the desk and sorted through the paperwork leaving a nice stack when he was through but not revealing the key to the trunk. "It's not over here and there must be over a thousand books on the shelves that could hide a key."

Arachne heaved a heavy sigh as she put her hands on her knees and pushed herself into a standing position. "Something in this trunk is calling to me… but I suppose it's waited this long and can wait a little bit longer."

"Right, well let's see what we have in these books and get to training."

"How will reading help with your magical reserves?" Arachne asked with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Have you ever heard of mysticism?" Arachne shook her head to indicate that she had not. "Well mysticism helps me to recover magic after I have used it. So far the best way I have found to develop my mysticism has been reading to increase my intelligence."

"Many things may have changed since I was cursed but, in my time, a well-read fool was still a fool."

Jon laughed at her comment. "That's a good point. Fortunately, I am not like most fools"

"That remains to be seen," Arachne gestured at the bed. "There is only one bed and what man who is not a fool would get into a bed with a vicious spider that almost ate him once before?"

"Eh, that is a good point." Jon rubbed the back of his head with his left hand. "Let's focus on training for the moment; we can cross that bridge when we come to it."

Arachne smiled widely, showing her fangs. "Are you sure that you don't want to try your luck? You seemed so eager earlier when I was using my mouth to suck out the poisoning and when we were walking up the stairs"

Jon shook his head after a moment of contemplation. "You were a human before the curse and, even if the spider is still a part of you, I still consider you to be a human now. Even if there are some… rather unique elements to your anatomy right now."

Arachne's smile fell and her eyes went wide before they became glassy as she started to tear up. "Thank you, Jon."

"Until you prove me wrong, I will continue to think about you in this way."

"Just… thank you."

"You're welcome." Jon was suddenly uncomfortable about the emotionally vulnerable woman in front of him. "You mentioned that you knew of healing magic. Could you teach me?"

All of Arachne's eyes closed as she nodded her head. She moved towards him and voiced her confirmation. "The spell is simple enough. Focus on whatever you want to heal. Wait until you feel your magic rise. Then say the spell. Heal."

Arachne had lifted her right hand so it was hovering just over the tender skin on Jon's neck. When she said 'Heal' a green light was emitted from her hand and Jon immediately felt relief at the site where Arachne's fangs had pierced his skin when she was in her spider form.

"Now you try," Arachne prompted as she turned around to expose her back which still bore the telltale signs of their earlier battle.

Jon did as instructed and raised his hands so they were hovering just over Arachne's back while channeling his magic. Though he had not learned the spell from a book, Arachne's instruction was sufficient that he did not need to depend on Magical Manipulation to cast the spell.

"Heal," Jon called as the same green light that had radiated from Arachne's hands a moment before now flooded from Jon's hands. He heard a sharp intake of breath by Arachne but he kept pushing his magic into the heal spell in an attempt to undo the damage that he had done to her body as he saw a notification pop up.

 _ **Restoration: Heal +1000  
Heal: Restores 10 health points per second after being cast. Spell cost 12 MP per second when used by the caster on him or herself. Spell cost 15 MP per second when used to heal another.**_

"That's enough," Arachne declared as she stepped away from Jon which allowed him to see that he was successful in his attempt to heal the red reminders of where his sword had struck her not so long ago. "You must be more in tune with your magic than I had initially suspected to get such a result on your first try with the spell."

"My life has been pretty eventful since I discovered magic. I've been working to develop my abilities since then." Jon tried to downplay what he had been able to accomplish since his initial discovery. "Do you know any other spells?"

"I wish that I did, if only so I could pass them on to you. Unfortunately, the knowledge of the more advanced spells was guarded jealously in my time. That is the only spell that I know."

"That's fine," Jon assured her with a grin as he moved to the shelf nearest his current position. "That leaves us more time to go through these books and find the key to the trunk."

That was how the search began. Initially, Jon was just pulling books from the shelf and discarding them after a brief shake but, on a whim, he glanced at the contents of the book that he had just picked up. What he saw reminded him that there was more to the ancient tomes than merely the chance that they hid the key to the trunk that so fascinated Arachne.

"Hold on," Jon called out to Arachne who had started her own search of the books shelved closest to the trunk. "There is much knowledge contained within these books and having to go through them twice won't save us any time when all is said and done. I am unsure how long it will take me to increase my magic to the necessary amount to cast the Alteration spell that we discussed earlier. If you see any spells in those books or anything about combat, stealth and evasion, alchemy, smithing or enchanting then please set the books aside."

Arachne raised her eyebrow quizzically. "Are there any other topics that would interest you? There could be tales of unrequited love, star-crossed lovers or chance encounters that ring two people together in the unlikeliest of circumstances. Wouldn't you be interested in those as well?"

Her words made Jon's own eyebrow rise. "I hadn't thought about it but yes, I suppose that there could be something like that among these books. Usually I look for the books that deal in the subjects that I have some training."

"Am I to believe that you have no training in the matters of love?"

Jon gave her his best approximation of a roguish grin. "Weren't you just cautioning me against sharing a bed with you?"

The remark elicited a sweet, joyful laugh from Arachne. "Maybe you are not so much a fool as I had initially suspected. Even if your reaction when faced with a dangerous situation leaves much to be desired when it comes to rational thinking, you may not be as foolish as most men would be if they found themselves in your situation."

Jon's eyes roved over her body before shifting towards the bed as he assessed his _situation_. "Yes, well we are here for a reason. Letting myself be distracted won't help in accomplishing our goal."

Arachne quirked her head at his explanation but did not respond as she bent down to shuffle through the books that she had initially discarded and sort them into two piles. The first, much larger pile, Jon assumed contained the books that had nothing to do with the subjects that he had specified. The second, Jon hoped would be like those books held by Maester Luwin that had been such a boon to him when he first started on his scholastic journey.

Taking his cue from Arachne, Jon began a similar sorting process. As time passed, the only thing that marked its passing was the thud of leather binding softly thudding against leather binding and the rustling of pages turning.

Jon looked at the piles of books that had accumulated. Though there were many books that seemed to contain information on interesting topics, there were far fewer that held information related to Jon's stats. Those were the books that he was truly interested in finding.

After setting down the last book from the fifth shelf that he had cleared out, Jon sighed deeply. "That's enough of that, I think if I have to pick up another book it will be the end of me."

Arachne seemed to be a little put off that he was calling off the search for the key so early but she obliged. "I suppose you're right."

"Don't trouble yourself; there will be plenty of time to continue the search later."

"Yes, but…" Arachne started to protest.

"But there are other things to do," Jon interrupted. "Earlier, I found a way to train my magic that is pretty quick and you should be able to help with. Do you know how to handle any weapons?"

"I busied myself with my needlework. I never really had an interest in weapons."

"Well, the training method that I discovered will require you to try and strike me."

"I'd rather not," Arachne looked less than pleased with Jon's request. "I'm not really much of a fighter."

"Hmm," Jon considered. "That could slow things down a bit. If only there were more of the Fanged Weavers here…"

"I could call more if you'd like."

"How would you do that?"

"Umm, I don't really know how I would do it. I just have a feeling that they would come if I called."

"Alright, well let's go back downstairs to give it a try. If this is to be our living quarters, I would prefer it if we kept the beasts out."

"Scared?" Arachne's eyes shone with mirth as she bared her fangs.

"Of those Fanged Weavers that I encountered earlier? Hardly, it's just that killing them can be a messy business and I imagine the smell wouldn't be the greatest in the world."

Arachne's smile widened at Jon's comment and she brought her hands to her face in an exaggerated swooning motion. "Oh, what a sweetheart, you are. Already concerning yourself with my comfort?"

"Yeah, let's go with that," Jon tried another roguish grin. "That was certainly what I was thinking about."

"If that's the case, let's go and get you acquainted with some eight-legged creatures that would just love to eat you. Oh, pardon me! Of course I meant to say eight-legged creatures that would just love to meet you."

The pair left the room and went down to the chamber where they first met. Rather than depending on the far off light of the torch, Jon cast a Light which earned him 500 experience before it trailed them to the middle of the chamber where Arachne abruptly stopped.

"The curse should still be strong enough that any of the Weavers that I summon should leave me alone if I'm not directly in the spiders' line of sight. I'll move towards the wall to leave you by yourself under that ball of light. Just call when you're ready and I can summon as many spiders as you want."

"Let's just start with three. They aren't particularly strong but I'll have to evade them when I run out of magic and don't want any of them getting the drop on me when my light fails."

"Your reasoning is sound. I'm not certain that I would be able to send them away once they have determined that you are weakening," Arachne nodded as she walked away becoming a mere silhouette leaning against the wall. "Just let me know when you are ready."

"Alright, let's do this. Three spiders won't be that much of a problem. Go ahead and call them."

A high pitch shriek pierced the relative silence of the chamber before quickly fading away and being replaced by the staccato tapping that Jon had come to associate with the scuttling legs of a spider.

 _I intended to train when I left the camp and it looks like I'm going to get more training in than I had any reason to suspect._ Jon thought to himself before the first Fanged Weaver came into view and launched itself at him.

As it had happened before, Jon raised a magic ward as soon as the spider leapt at him. This caused it to bounce away, harmlessly, to the floor. Its compatriots were not idle and it took far less time for Jon's magic to deplete than it did when he had faced off against a single spider.

When his magic was depleted, he quickly dispatched of the spiders with his advanced sword skills before walking over to Arachne to let her know that he would need a short rest to recover his magic before he would be able to resume the training.

Though Arachne looked towards the door that would lead her to the room that housed the trunk that she had felt such a drawing toward she agreed to wait with Jon as his magic regenerated.

After his magic was fully restored, Jon gave her the confirmation that he was ready as he cast a new Light and she summoned more spiders to begin the process again before leaving the room to resume her search.

Again, the spiders made short work of Jon's magical reserves with their tenacious attacks and he shortly found himself having to end the creatures' existences.

 _ **Fanged Weaver Venom (12)  
Weaver Silk (48)  
Conjuration: Light +500  
Restoration: Magic Ward +68,000  
Evasion +4800  
One Handed +2400**_

Since there was nothing left for Jon in the chamber, he walked back to the room to find Arachne sorting through the remaining books on the shelf that she had started earlier. Jon cast a glance towards the trunk and found that it was still closed with the lock firmly in place and found himself yawning.

At the sound of Jon yawning, Arachne turned her attention from the books to Jon and spoke. "If you're tired feel free to take the bed. I'll join you later but I want to get this finished."

"You'll join me later," Jon was struck by the casual way that she made the statement. "Umm, I…"

"Don't worry your pretty little head. I'll be good," Arachne said with a reassuring smile. "At least for tonight."

"Right," Jon agreed to push the conflicting thoughts of what she was referring to out of his head while moving to the bed and beginning to disrobe. Cloak, pauldrons, jerkin, belt, boots, greaves and cuisse were removed and stored in Jon's inventory leaving him in his undershorts causing Arachne to tilt her head in an unspoken question before she shook her head and resumed her search. Jon got into the bed and pulled the cover over him with a surprised look on his face due to how comfortable the bed was before he spoke again. "Good night Arachne, don't stay up too late."

"Good night, Jon." Arachne answered sultrily. "Don't let the bed bugs bite."

* * *

 **AN3: Rest assured, for better or worse, the Arachne quest will be wrapped up next chapter. The other story lines that have come to exist since leaving Winterfell will wrap up and Jon will be getting back to the castle VERY soon. It was recommended by Reviwer543 that I call out that I don't own Percy Jackson as I have incorporated a character named Arachne but my inspiration for her is the mythological Arachne rather than the interpretation in Percy Jackson. Either way, I do not claim the rights to the character. If you liked it, please review and I'll try to get the next chapter out asap!**


	20. SR020

**AN: Prior to this chapter, the story stats have been pretty humbling to me. 616 reviews, 253,181 views, 25 communities, 1,705 Favorites and 2,039 Follows. Just wow. Thank you to everyone who has taken time to read this story! Your support is what brings me back to writing even when the world tries to pull me away from my laptop. Apologies for the delay, I hope you enjoy the new chapter.**

* * *

Despite the somewhat ominous warning that he received from Arachne before surrendering to the darkness of sleep, Jon slept well and awoke feeling quite refreshed. The comfortable pressure on his chest told him that Arachne had indeed come to bed at some point while he was asleep. He angled his chin down towards his chest to view what was pressing on his chest.

Immediately, he saw Arachne's lilac hair angled in such a way that it covered the eyes on the left side of her face while three of the four eyes on the right side of her face stared up at him. All three of the eyes that he could see were focused on his face but she did not comment on either her position or Jon's eyes falling on her.

He noted the way that her nose cast a small shadow on her face that seemed to add to the dark mystique of her appearance. The corners of her mouth were slightly upturned in the faintest approximation of a smile and her skin seemed paler than ever.

Though he would claim that it was accidental, his gaze traveled over the alabaster skin of her shoulder, down the curve of her back to finally rest upon the pale orbs of flesh that the small strip of fabric along her hips did nothing to conceal. A goofy smile spread across Jon's face at the sight that Arachne had presented to him before a light thump on his chest brought his attention back to Arachne's face.

"If you have gotten your eye full then I believe it's time for us to resume your training."

"Er, yes. We should get back to training." Jon agreed with a vigorous nod of his head. "Did you find the key?"

"I did."

"Alright," Jon shared his enthusiasm. "Well what was in the trunk that was calling to you?"

"You'll see when we leave. I believe that you will prefer it that way."

"How long have I been asleep?" Jon asked before the second thought strayed into his mind. "When did you finally come to bed?"

"It is difficult to tell time here but, I'd say, you were asleep almost four hours before I joined you. Then you slept for a similar amount of time after I got into the bed with you."

"Wait, how would you know that? Didn't you sleep?"

"After so much time spent locked in my own mind by the Old One's curse, I did not want to waste the first night in my human body by sleeping."

"So you just watched me sleep?"

"It was either I watch you sleep or I eat you up and the second option didn't really seem like it would help me leave this place."

"Glad I can be of service to you," Jon rolled his eyes before accessing his inventory and equipping his clothes which caused Arachne's eyes to widen comically.

"What magic is this?"

"If you can keep the contents of the trunk to yourself until we leave then I'll keep the answer to that question to myself, as well."

Arachne huffed before playfully thumping Jon's chest and using him to help her push off the bed to a standing position. "If that is how you wish to proceed then I won't press you for the answer now. I stacked all of the books with the subjects that you mentioned over there," Arachne gestured toward a neat pile of books that was sitting on the desk.

"Thank you," Jon voiced his appreciation as he threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood. Though he followed her lead in keeping his thoughts on the matter to himself, Jon had a suspicion that Arachne was well aware of how her presence in the bed with him, and the sight of her perfectly proportioned body in such a revealing garment, affected him.

Jon turned his body slightly to hide the adjustment that he was making to his cuisse and he could have sworn he caught a smile on Arachne's face before he turned his attention to the collection of books that she had set aside for him. A few steps brought his fingers into contact with the spines of the books that had been arrayed for him.

 _Breathing Water and Spitting Fire, Daughter of the Old Ones, Sithis and the Many Faced God, The Lunar Conspiracy, Father of the Niben, The Gold Ribbon of Merit, Vernaccus and Bourlor, Battle of the Fields of Fire, Death Blow of Abernanit, The Black Mirror, The Warrior's Warrior, Frostfall: The Coming of Winter, The Great Hearth, Bridges in the Sky, The Warrior's Charge into Doom: The Fall of Ziggimus Zaggurat, Treacherous Destruction, Horror in Asshai, Mystery of the Landing, The Terror of War, Twin Secrets, The Seven Knights of the Faith, The Dawn of the Red Dragon's Tail, Ice and Chitin, The Red Dragon Takeover and the Flight of the Black Dragon, Surfeit of Thieves, The Werequeen, Morning Star, Fighting Fire and Darkness, Mace Etiquette, A Bastard's victory over a King, The Importance of Where, The Exodus, Sacred Witness, Three Thieves, A Dance with Fire,_ and _The Strike of the King._

When Jon's finger grazed over the last book title, he made the decision to add the books to his inventory rather than cracking them open and experiencing them right away. He couldn't quite explain it but, unlike when he had encountered such books during his tutelage with Maester Luwin, he could feel the magic emanating from the books. It was almost as if it called to him. Nevertheless, he stored the books in his inventory

"Thank you for getting the books together for me; though only about half of them deal with magic, they will all be very helpful to me."

"If you say so," Arachne appeared doubtful but she did not voice any concerns. "Will you need me to summon more spiders for you?"

Jon made a fist with his right hand and dropped it into the palm of his left hand. "No, I don't think that will be necessary right now. I am at a good place with my Restoration magic right now. I need to get my Conjuration, Alteration and Illusion magics up to the same level."

"Alright, well how will you do that?"

"That is a good question. I don't know many Conjuration or Alteration spells. I was hoping that there would be some spell books in this room to help with that. As far as Conjuration goes, the only spell that I know is the Light spell that I figured out earlier. Alteration is even tougher as the only Alteration spell I know is my ability to Warg but I have only been able to Warg into my Direwolf so far."

"What do you mean when you say that you have been able to Warg into your Direwolf?" Arachne moved to stand immediately in front of Jon as she asked the question with a nonverbal gesture to indicate that she would not budge in demanding an explanation and let Jon get away without explaining the ability. "I have not heard of the term, Warg, before."

"When I Warg into Ghost, it's like my mind somehow goes into his body."

Arachne bared her fangs menacingly. "You lock his mind away and take control of his body from him? How could you do such a thing?"

Jon shook his head and reached to comfort her only for her to jerk her arm away as she took a step backwards. Her eyes seemed to glow with her indignation and Jon knew that he would have to start talking if he wanted to avoid an encounter with the giant spider that had tried to kill him not so long ago. "I would never lock Ghost's mind away! Ghost is my friend and when I Warg into him, it is more like us sharing his body. I can feel him there and he can still control his body, if he wants to, though usually he lets me be in control."

Some of the anger seemed to dissipate from Arachne's eyes but she was still looking at Jon suspiciously. "It sounds too much like the curse of the Old One to me. I ask that you do not do that around me."

"Of course," Jon readily agreed while holding his hands wide-open, away from his body, in an attempt to show his sincerity.

The rest of the tension seemed to leave Arachne's body at Jon's reassurance. "Thank you, Jon."

"I'll stick to conjuration for now and, hopefully, I'll either be able to figure out a different Alteration spell or there will be something in the books that will help me."

Arachne merely nodded at Jon's plan. "Do you have any idea how you will be able to train in Conjuration magic if the only spell you know is the Light spell?"

"I was thinking about that. The normal Light spell just hovers above me but, I have a feeling, I could control the light and cause it to move where I want it to go. Since that would be directly manipulating the magic, I think there would be benefit in the effort. If that doesn't work, maybe I could increase and decrease the brightness of the light. Who knows, maybe I'll do both if both options work for me."

Arachne nodded before asking, "How many of those lights can you make at the same time?"

"I don't rightly know," Jon admitted while running his hand through his hair. "I have only tried to make one at a time so far."

"You should see if you can make more than one at a time when we get downstairs." Arachne was halfway out the door as she gave her suggestion.

Jon hastened to follow her and shortly found himself in the chamber. Raising both hands so his palms were parallel to his body, Jon channeled his magic towards both of his palms and called out "Light."

In an instant, the room was illuminated by the two balls of light which were hovering next to each other in front of Jon's outstretched hands. Focusing on the magical connection that he felt between the two balls of light, Jon moved his hands away from each other and caused the balls to separate to a much further degree than he had anticipated.

The experience notifications that he was seeing confirmed that the training method was working but he chose to ignore them in favor of maintaining his hold on the magic. Instead, he opened and closed his arms, reveling in the feeling of connectedness with his magic. He continued moving the balls of light until he ran out of magic and they faded away.

 _ **Conjuration: Light +9250**_

"Well that was certainly impressive." Arachne commented when the light had faded away. "I can't help but think it would be more impressive if you were not waving your arms around like you were possessed while controlling the lights. Do you think that you could do it without all of the arm waving?"

Jon contemplated the feeling of the magical connection between him and the balls of light after he had cast the spells. "Yeah, I think I could. After I cast the spells, I felt how they linked to my magic through my arms. Having done that, I think I could probably hold onto that connection without moving my arms, if I had to."

"Alright, then let's say that you have to the next time that you cast the spells. Maybe it will help you even more."

"It's worth a shot," Jon agreed with a nod of his head. "Now we just have 17 minutes to kill until my magic regenerates and I am able to resume the training."

"How could you possibly know that it would take that much time for your magic to be restored?"

"Just trust me when I say that it falls into the same category as what happened with the books earlier."

The smile fell away from Arachne's face leaving a very neutral expression like one would see on a mask. "I see. There is much more to you than meets the eyes, isn't there, Jon Snow?"

"Perhaps there is but let us focus on you. You can call spiders that do your bidding but do not have much in the way of fighting skills if someone manages to get past those spiders. While my magic regenerates, how about we work on getting you comfortable with a sword?"

"I haven't got a sword, if you haven't noticed," Arachne spun on the ball of her foot in a quick circle to remind Jon that she had no place to conceal such a weapon. "But if you have a spare and are quite insistent then I will consent to your teachings. Before you, none of the men that found this cave were able to hold back the Old One's curse."

Jon removed a sword from his inventory and spun it around quickly to readjust his grip so he could hand it to her, pommel first. "I would be honored to assist you with your swordplay."

"Just like that?" Arachne asked as she took the sword and gave it an experimental swing.

"Just like that," Jon confirmed. "I wouldn't have offered if I hadn't been willing to follow through. Plus, if it is between this and reading those books, it seems like this is the more likely option to make the most out of the time. When I read, I tend to get absorbed by what I'm reading. Usually this is not a problem but being absorbed in something right now could mean missing when my magic regenerates and slowing my training with Conjuration magic."

"How could you possibly become so engaged in your reading material that you would lose track of your surroundings?"

"It's like I'm inside the story, like I'm there as the tale plays out." Jon answered with a shrug. "Anyway, let's see what you can do now that you have a sword."

Arachne did not require additional coaxing as she lunged forward and attacked with quick, poorly executed slashes that Jon had no trouble blocking. Though her technique left much to be desired, Jon was pleased to see the strength of limb and the quickness in her strikes. He doubted that she would ever be able to match the power that some swordsmen could put into their blows but he valued her quickness much more than he would have valued pure strength.

"Alright, alright," Jon spoke while catching her blade with his own. "That's enough for now. Try not to overextend yourself so much when you are striking. Think short, quick strikes rather than long sweeping ones."

Arachne nodded with a slight huff. "Are you going to practice you magic again?"

"Yes, I was able to recover my magic while we were sparring. So now, it's back to Conjuration training."

The pair went through the training routine a total of five times before Jon called a stop to their swordplay session to indicate that his magic had fully regenerated. He had been ignoring the experience notifications during his training but wanted to see how he had progressed so far, so he allowed the notifications to appear.

 _ **Conjuration: Light +37,000  
Blocking +120,000  
Evasion +12,500**_

"Mission accomplished," Jon proclaimed proudly as he reviewed his stats. "Hello level ten Conjuration magic."

Arachne quirked her head to the side while looking at him out of the corners of her eyes. "Level ten conjuration magic? What are you talking about?"

Jon sighed and ran a hand through his wavy hair, pushing his locks out of his eyes. "It's probably an explanation better left for later but, essentially, I can tell how proficient I am with magic."

"Alright but what does the level mean?" Arachne's side-eyed look turned quizzical. "Does that mean you are ten times better than you were at level one?"

Jon opened his mouth to respond but then closed it for a moment in consideration before responding. "I don't think that it works like that. Mostly the level is about experience. I think that casting the Light spell would provide the same amount of light if the caster was at level one or level ten but as you become more experienced with the spell you gain more control over it. You saw me controlling the lights in my training. If I wanted, I believe that I could do more than just control the location of the light. I could control the intensity of the light or use the spell as a part of more complex magic."

Arachne's brow furrowed as she contemplated his words. "If you can be as effective with a spell at level one as you can be at level ten, even if you may not have as much fine control, then why would you spend time trying to increase your level?"

 _To make sure that I pass the Return to Winterfell quest and don't miss out on any of the potential rewards,_ Jon thought to himself. "For me, it's about the experience. Even if a spell may not be more effective, per se, at level ten than it is at level one, gaining the experience is well worth the time that I have to spend to level up the skill."

"Do most people in this time think that way?" Arachne asked while drawing her arms across her body to grip her elbows, inadvertently drawing Jon's attention to her scantily clad bust.

Jon chuckled at the thought of himself being considered normal in any way, especially after obtaining the Stargaryan Ring. "I don't think so. Though experience is respected by most people, I'm pretty sure that the way that most people think of experience is well outside of what would be considered normal."

Arachne's eyes traveled up and down Jon's body as she considered his response. "There are times when normal can be acceptable. I wish I was more normal when the Old One made her challenge. If I was then I wouldn't have been cursed and trapped in this place for so long."

Jon had not expected this turn in the conversation so he was slightly hesitant to respond but eventually he said, "Aye, there are times when it seems like being normal may be for the best but, when it comes down to it, I think that I would rather not be normal if it meant that I had to deny a part of myself."

"If I was more normal, I wouldn't have even considering accepting a stranger's weaving challenge," Arachne asserted as her eyes moved beyond Jon as if she was staring into the past. "I could have spent my days with those that I cared about rather than locked in my own mind while the curse that took control of my body caused the deaths of countless souls that were unfortunate enough to cross my path."

Jon looked down and kicked out with one of his legs in a distracted manner as he considered her response. "That may be true but, if you were normal, then we never would have met."

Jon's words broke Arachne from her reverie. "That would have been unfortunate," she said almost inaudibly.

Unfortunately, for Arachne, Jon heard her words. "It would have been unfortunate?"

All of Arachne's eyes widened as she clearly had not intended for Jon to hear her words. She quickly removed the genuine smile that had been threatening to spread across her face and replaced it with a look that conveyed hunger. "It would be absolutely unfortunate. The adventurers who think that they are special taste so much better than the run of the mill adventurers."

The sight of Arachne's tongue tracing the sharp teeth in her mouth undermined the initial connotation of her words and caused Jon to shiver slightly at the thought of the predator that this scantily clad woman could turn into if he was so unfortunate as to arouse her anger. "At least he the curse did not take your life."

Arachne's eyes snapped sharply to Jon. "The curse did not take my life, you say? All that I knew, all who I loved are gone. I am the only thing left. It's just me and the curse now."

"You don't have to be alone," Jon tried to appeal to the part of Arachne that was clearly feeling the loss of all that she held dear. "I can't pretend that I can replace all that you have lost but you are welcome to venture with me when we get out of this cave."

Arachne seemed to realize that she was projecting the anger and frustration over her loss onto Jon and collected herself before responding. "Thank you, Jon Snow. As melodramatic as it may seem, you are all that I know in this world now. I'm not promising anything but, once you finish your training and we get out of here, I may just take you up on your offer."

Sensing that a change of subject was in order, Jon tried to shift the focus from all that had been lost to Arachne as a result of the curse. "I hope you will. Speaking of training, at this point it is between Alteration and Illusion magic. Since Warg is the only Alteration spell that I know, it seems like Illusion magic is up next for training."

Arachne just nodded before lowering herself to the ground and sitting with her legs crossed. Jon tried his best to feign nonchalance as his eyes were drawn from the slight bounce of her chest as she landed on the floor to the almost immodest strip of fabric that was flanked by alabaster skin between her legs. Apparently Jon was not as discreet as he had thought as he had tried to convince himself that he was being as Arachne cleared her throat pointedly. "Thank you again for not asking me to conjure spiders for you to control through the Warg magic. What Illusion magic do you know?"

Jon grimaced at her clear disdain for something that Jon considered to be completely natural between him and Ghost before thinking of the Illusion magic that he had learned. "Not much," he admitted. "At this point I only know two Illusion spells. One is Calm, which was able to disrupt the curse that the Old One had cast on you. The other is Magical Distortion which is a very useful spell that doesn't seem to have very many limits, other than the amount of magic of the caster, from what I have seen so far."

"So the reason you aren't using the Magical Distortion to help me get out of this cave is because it would fade once you run out of magic?" Arachne asked while tossing her head to get the lilac bangs that had fallen in front of her eyes out of her face. "Well get to it. I've been here far too long and I am ready to get out into the world and see what has changed since I was first bound by the curse."

While Jon was slightly unnerved by the six red eyes that were focused directly on him but he managed to nod. "Alright then, I'll practice the Magical Distortion. Is there anything that you would like to see?"

Arachne just smirked…

* * *

 _ **Illusion: Magical Distortion +18,000**_

 _ **Blocking +1,500  
Evasion +2,100**_

Jon just shook his head while trying to get the most recent scene that Arachne had asked to see from his mind. Arachne's Illusion requests were every bit as depraved as her clothing choices. Now he had level ten Illusion magic and a level ten threat of winter coming in his pants. "You know, I didn't expect you to get so graphic when I asked you what you wanted to see."

Arachne had the decency to blush even as she stared back at him defiantly. "You asked if there was anything that I wanted to see, knowing that I had been locked in my mind for ages longer than you have even been alive. From your looks, I would say that your hunger matches mine in this particular domain. What did you expect me to ask to see?"

"I don't know, your family or the place you lived or anything but that," Jon tried to voice his incredulity but the way that Arachne's eyes narrowed indicated that he had struck a nerve.

"Just because we have spent some time together in this place, don't presume to know anything of what I had to leave behind to be here now."

Jon shook his head to negate her words before speaking, "I am sorry for what the curse did to you." Arachne took a deep breath to compose herself and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them a second later the majority of the hostility seemed to have drained from them. "I just wanted you to know that when we get out of her that, if you don't want to, you don't necessarily have to go out on your own."

Arachne rose from her cross-legged position and stood from the place on the ground that she had claimed before Jon had started practicing the Magical Distortion. The lethargic pace reinforced in Jon's mind just how much the physical training the two of them had done while Jon was recuperating from the Conjuration and Illusion magic had taken on her.

When she regained her footing, Arachne looked at Jon appraisingly before deigning to respond. "It's been a long day. I wouldn't want you to say anything that you may regret later. Let's go upstairs ad call it a night."

Trying to withhold his surprise, Jon took the proffered hand and allowed the scantily-clad woman with eight eyes and a nasty side that manifested as a giant spider to lead him back to the quarters beyond the chamber that he had recommissioned for his training purposes.

"I didn't mean to suggest…" Jon started as they made it back to the living quarters but he was cut off by Arachne who put a finger to his lips to silence him.

"I know that you didn't, Jon Snow. Still, whether you meant to or not, it does not mean that I am ready to consider such things at the current time. In my time it would have been entirely untoward for a young man to ask an unmarried to travel with him without a chaperone. Is this not the case now?"

For a second, Jon considered bending the truth and telling her that such a thing was no longer considered to be out of the ordinary. However, he could not help but think of how he would feel if Arya had been goaded into accepting a challenge that she was convinced that she could win only to have her victory turn to defeat when her victory turned to ash in her mouth when the challenger revealed their true power.

"To be honest, such a thing is still not regular in this time." Jon plopped down on the bed and brought both of his hands to hold his head as he stared at the floor. "I just thought that it was better than the alternative, you going out into the world on your own."

Jon did not move his gaze from the floor though he heard Arachne's movement. When he felt the sudden pressure on the bed and the warm body pressed to his right side, Jon had to turn his head in that direction.

Arachne was sitting as close to Jon as she could be without being on top of him. The pale skin of her thigh was a stark contrast to the black of his cuisse. Jon's eyes traveled from floor to thigh, up a flat and exposed stomach to an almost exposed bust and finally reached Arachne's eyes.

Though a glint in her eyes told him that she knew that he had gone sightseeing before meeting her eyes, her only response to his appraisal was a knowing smirk. After his eyes made contact with hers, she finally spoke what was on her mind. "You did not make that offer to demean or belittle me. You had to choose between two less than desirable options and you chose the one that would be easiest for me."

"I hadn't thought about it quite like that," Jon admitted. "I just tried to put myself in your shoes and I know that if I found myself in a strange place that I had never been that I would hope that the first person that I met did not leave me on my own."

Arachne sighed and slumped forward, catching her head in her hands causing a curtain of hair to fall between her and Jon. The pair sat in silence for several minutes until Arachne pulled her head from her hands and flipped her hair so that her burning gaze fell on Jon before she spoke again. "I have been trapped here inside the body of a monster for more time than you could even begin to imagine. In that time everything that I knew slipped away. Even if some people may think it improper for us to travel together, you are all that I know in this world. You are the person who was able to break through the curse and I would feel much better facing whatever is out there waiting for me if we did not part ways when we leave this place."

"Then it's settled," Jon grinned as the words left his mouth and, in a moment of boldness, he raised his right arm and draped it across Arachne's shoulder to pull her to his side. "When we get out of here you will come with me on my travels. We'll meet up with Ysolda, Ygritte and the Free Folk and we'll finally go back to Winterfell."

Though the look on her face seemed to indicate that she considered protesting Jon's action, Arachne instead chose to question his statement. "Are Ysolda and Ygritte the names of your women?"

Jon felt a blush heat his cheeks. "I don't know that they would like it if I was to introduce them as 'my women.' I met Ygritte first when the Free Folk came to Winterfell. We didn't talk much when I first saw her but, after the bear, she seemed to open up to the idea that I wasn't just a fancy lord from a fancy castle."

"What do you mean, 'after the bear'?" Jon could have sworn he saw a sparkle of mirth in her eyes as she asked the question but that was soon replaced by an insistence as Jon realized that she was not going to let him get out of answering the question.

After a small chuckle at the relative normalcy of confronting a bear after his run-ins with sea serpents, mire-lurks and giant spiders, Jon provided the answer that she was waiting to hear. "At Winterfell, the Lord Eddard Stark has a ward named Theon Greyjoy. Theon likes to think of himself as something of a ladies man and he made several remarks that Ygritte did not appreciate which prompted her to explore the Wolfswood. As luck would have it, I came across her in my own explorations later when she had been forced to climb a rock to get away from a bear that was looking for a meal. Long story short, I was able to kill the bear and Ygritte seemed much less hostile than she had been with anyone to that point."

The corner of Arachne's mouth angled upward in a slight smirk. "So you saved the damsel in distress and she fell madly in love with you?"

Jon outright laughed at the thought of Ygritte's reaction to being considered a damsel in distress. "I think there are a lot of words that you could use to describe her but calling her a damsel in distress wouldn't be anywhere near the top of the list. She has a fiery spirit to match her hair which she would say was kissed by fire. She is willing to help those that can't help themselves and has shown that she is more than capable of handling herself in dangerous situations."

Arachne angled her head down and looked up at Jon with burning eyes that seemed to prompt him to elaborate. "It sounds like you admire her quite a bit. I couldn't help but notice that you didn't deny the fact that she is madly in love with you?"

Her words caused the fading blush to come back, in full force, on Jon's face. "That's a bit more complicated. I don't know that she is in love with me but she definitely did not appreciate when I was alone with Ysolda. The two of them haven't been getting along very well."

Jon's words caused Arachne to laugh. "Well, I'm sure that she would not have appreciated you being so forward with me then, would she?" Arachne nudged Jon's arm with her shoulder and wiggled her body against his side to remind him of the contact that he had initiated. "That's a bridge to cross another day, I think. You've told me about Ygritte, now tell me about Ysolda."

A goofy grin had spread across Jon's face as a result of Arachne's action. He felt a little strange talking about the two young women that he had come into contact with since his life had been changed by the Stargaryan Ring with another young woman who, in a way, was also the oldest person that he had ever met but he found that he was enjoying her line of questioning, not to mention the way that her scantily clad body was pressed against him. "I met Ysolda on my travels home to Winterfell. Her town had been attacked by Wildlings and traitorous members of the Nights Watch. The traitors wanted to take her with them as they fled the town. I don't want to think about what they would have done to her if they hadn't been stopped."

Arachne's smile dropped into a frown at Jon's words and he noticed the skin on the bridge of her nose crinkling as if she had smelled something vile. It was at this moment that Jon noticed that when Arachne blinked she never had all of her eyes closed at the same time; though the matching eyes on either side of her face would close together, she would always have at least two eyes open.

Jon noticed her fists clenched in her lap as she contemplated his words and saw her chest heave as she took a deep breath and release a long sigh. Though she was silent, Jon would swear that he could see a reply forming behind those burning red eyes.

Eventually, after several long minutes, Arachne seemed to compose herself and found her voice again. "You did a good thing, Jon Snow. To allow that kind of scum to do the heinous things to a woman would have been despicable. It makes sense that she would seek to stay under your protection after you did such a thing for her."

Arachne's words caused Jon to pause to consider. _Was that what it was? Ysolda told me that she wanted to find her brother and would travel to Winterfell so she could find him. I would want to find any remaining family I had also, especially if something as terrible as what happened to her town had happened to everyone that I cared about._ The thoughts raced through Jon's mind as he tried to formulate a response for Arachne. "I would never allow such a thing to happen if it was in my power to stop it."

A small smile graced Arachne's face and she snuggled into Jon's side and rested her head at the crook where his neck met his shoulder while maintaining eye contact. "So that's how you met the second damsel in distress. It's not surprising that she would have agreed to follow you after something like that had happened. In fact, I wouldn't have been surprised if such an act had her throwing herself at you in gratitude."

For what seemed like the hundredth time over the course of the conversation, Jon felt his cheeks flush with color. "I wouldn't say that she threw herself at me," Jon was choosing his words carefully but wanted to see if he could be the one to make her blush for a change. "Being alone with her, in her quarters, as she took off her clothes doesn't seem like it would count as her throwing herself at me."

Arachne did not blush as Jon intended but she did seem to bristle for moment before raising her head from its position on his shoulder as her eyes narrowed and she moved closer until Jon could feel her lips on his ear. "You wouldn't be making that part of the story up to try and make me jealous now, would you?"

Jon's heart immediately started racing from the intimacy of such an act and the feel of her body pressed so exquisitely close to his own. Jon maintained enough coherence despite the urges of his body to form words, "Make you jealous?"

It was just a simple adjustment on Arachne's part but her movement caused her ample bosom to press against Jon's body in a way that evoked a very specific reaction in the young man. Jon broke the eye contact that had been established between the two after Arachne's adjustment and his eyes ventured to the valley between the soft orbs of flesh that were pressed so tightly to his body and it was all that Jon could do to stop from moaning at the sheer beauty of the situation in which he had found himself.

Arachne leaned forward to brush her lips against his earlobe again before nibbling gently and voicing her thoughts. "I knew that's what you were trying to do. Do you think me another damsel in distress to fall so easily under your charm?"

If it weren't for the blood rushing to a certain part of his body, he was sure that his face would be as red as the flag that bore the sigil of house Lannister. "What charm do you speak of?"

Jon cast his eyes down, meticulously avoiding the fleshy orbs that were smashed against him as Arachne laughed at his confusion. She thumped her hand against the muscle of his chest before clarifying, "Of course. You've proven yourself to be quite the magician. Apparently you find damsels who are in distress and cast a spell to cloud their minds, just as you have cast your spell on me."

Ready to dispute the claim that he had cast any spell of that nature on Arachne, Ysolda, Ygritte or anyone else for that matter, Jon turned his head sharply only to see a teasing expression on her face that he found much more at home than the usual stoic expression that she wore. "I promise you that I don't know a spell that would do that and I wouldn't use it on you or anyone that I care about if I did."

Arachne arched a brow and leaned away from him slightly, causing an ache of loss to course through Jon's body as the pressure from her ample bosom was removed from his body. Jon was not granted much of a reprieve, as she moved her left hand from his chest to rest very high on his thigh before speaking, "So now you are saying that you care about me? Choose your words with care, Jon Snow. A lady may not know what to think about such a declaration."

The pressure of Arachne's hand on Jon's thigh, and the knowledge of how close it was to his most intimate parts, was at the forefront of his mind before he could answer, "Of course I care about you. No one should have to go through what you had to go through."

Arachne brought her hands to her chest and traced her ample bosom down the concave curve of her waist and over the convex curve of her hips. "Are you sure that is what I've been through that is evoking this response from you and not my appearance?"

Jon closed his eyes and gave his head a quick shake in an attempt to clear the erotic image from his mind before responding, "I can't pretend that I do not appreciate your wardrobe choices but this is more than that."

Upon hearing his explanation, Arachne stood and turned to face him before moving all of her weight to her right leg to emphasize the curve of her hip before resting her hand right where her slim waist tapered into the hips that evoked flames of passion in Jon that seemed to roar with their desire for her.

Arachne's face broke into a wide smile revealing the dangerous teeth that reminded Jon that, no matter how alluring he found her appearance to be on the surface, her interior had been warped by the power of the curse that had oppressed her for so many years. Arachne noticed the attention that Jon's attention had moved from her figure to her smile and bared her fangs in all of their glory before closing her mouth winking the eyes not shrouded by her lilac hair and blowing a kiss in his direction.

"Do I scare you, Jon Snow?" Arachne asked as she moved forward and raised her right leg and brought her bare foot down right at the fork of Jon's legs. Though this gave him a close up view of the smooth skin of her leg it also caused him to remember the pressure that had been building that he had been trying his best not to notice. "If you knew what was good for you, I would."

"I honestly am not sure how I feel about all of this." Jon didn't want to risk the reaction that was threatening to occur if he stared at her body for too long so he turned his head to the left to examine a shelf of books as if it had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the room. "On one hand we're all alone in this cave and you don't seem to have any reservations about showing your body to me. On the other hand, it's been a long time since you were yourself and I don't want you to do anything that you may regret."

The fingers from Arachne's right hand caressed the right side of Jon's face for a moment before gently pulling his attention back to her. "If you want to help make sure that I don't end up doing anything to you that I may regret then I suggest that you help me get out of this place sooner than later. Even though the curse has been held at bay, I feel like it is slowly returning to full strength."

Jon ran his right hand up the calf of the leg that Arachne had put between his legs before answering, "Even with all of today's training, I still haven't made any progress with Alteration Magic. I may not be able to cast a spell that will hide the evidence of the curse from the world."

Arachne raised her hands to her head to pull her hair back to expose the eight eyes burning on the top of her head before leaning forward and rotating her head slowly to take in the sight of Jon with each of her eyes. Though her right hand fell back to Jon's shoulder, she kept her hair pulled back with her left hand. "You told me that your magic does not become stronger as you level up. What if it's like the lights? You started with one but eventually you were able to control more than one at a time."

Jon reached up with his hands to grip Arachne's face and pull her down so that her face was level with his. She did not resist the pull and turned her body so she could sit in his lap as he took in the sight of her eyes and considered what he could possibly do to help her. "Maybe you're right. I don't want to accidentally hurt you and it may be easier for both of us if we take it one step at a time."

Arachne appeared pensive at the thought. "Even though I understand why such magic is necessary, I can't help but feel like I'll be losing a part of myself."

Jon frowned at the thought. _So much has been taken from her already. I don't want to leave this cave resenting me for taking another thing away from her._ Catching her staring at him, Jon moved his arms to circle her waist and closed his eyes while sighing deeply. As his eyes closed and the vision of the lovely woman on his lap was replaced by darkness, Jon was stuck with an idea that caused his eyes to spring open. "What if there was a way to allow you to leave the cave without taking away the vision that you have become used to?"

It was as if a switch was flipped in Arachne's heart as she bounced with joy on Jon's lap. This caused Jon's mouth to flop open as he was given an up-close view of her breasts bouncing as he felt the warmth of her butt eliciting a reaction from his body. Arachne felt the reaction and she stopped bouncing before smirking mischievously, "I would say that we should pursue that option. Unless you were interested in pursuing… something else first."

Jon stifled a groan at Arachne's most recent wiggling efforts. "Umm… Something else sounds like a great idea."

Arachne raised a finger to her chin and quirked her head as if considering Jon's words. "Well maybe if I like the idea we can consider something else until you can make the magic work."

Jon shook his head to rid his mind of the implications of Arachne's words. "Yes. Well, I'm not sure if it will work but I was thinking that it may be possible to spell your eyelids so that you could see through them if you wanted to and spell the eyes on your forehead so that it did not look like you had extra eyes."

All of Arachne's eyes seemed to bore into Jon, making him uncomfortable in a much less pleasant way than the concept of doing 'something else' with her had just moments earlier. "Did you have another plan in mind?"

As if trying to discern whether or not Jon was telling the truth about being able to make something invisible, Arachne's voice was quiet when she spoke. "Is it really possible? It sounds too good to be true."

Jon furrowed his brow before answering, "It should be possible. I know I can use Illusion magic to make something temporarily invisible. I think I can use Alteration magic in a similar way to make that type of change permanent."

Arachne seemed to sigh in exasperation. "What good would it do if my eyelids were invisible? Everyone would still be able to see my eyes. In fact, it would be worse since they would always be on display."

Jon opened his mouth to respond then closed it when he realized that she was correct. "Well, I'll just have to make sure that the spell will let you see out but won't let others see in… Yeah, that could work."

It didn't look like Arachne had much faith in Jon's ability so he began channeling his magic while focusing on Arachne, hoping that his Magic Manipulation would come through for him before he ran out of magic and that Arachne would not be too offended if he did succeed.

The seconds ticked by slowly and Jon felt the drain on his magical reserves but, as with the other times that he had used Magic Manipulation, the results that he desired seemed just out of reach. However, as he felt the last of his magic slip away from him, Jon was rewarded with the sight of the daring garment worn by Arachne disappearing from view.

 _ **Magic Manipulation + 20,000  
Alteration: Transfiguration + 20,000  
Transfiguration: **__Transfiguration is the ability to change the shape or properties of an object. The magical cost of this type of spell varies depending on the magical density of the subject. Magical density is determined by the magical potential of an object. Items with low magical potential, such as cloth, will require less magic to Transfigure than items with high magical density, such as dragon scale. When it comes to Transfiguration, what you can accomplish is limited only by your imagination and your magical reserves and if both are sufficient then there is nothing that you can't accomplish._

Though Arachne did not know what Jon had done, she followed his gaze to her chest and was surprised to see her light brown nipples proudly on display on her chest. For the first time, Jon made Arachne blush as she raised an arm to conceal her sudden nudity and moved her other hand to cover the space between her legs when she noticed that her outfit was no longer concealing her form Jon's view.

"What the hell?" Arachne's voice had rose an octave more out of surprise at the situation than concern at the thought of Jon seeing more of her body. "I said we could do 'something else' if I liked your idea. What made you think I liked your idea? It doesn't even seem like it will work!"

Jon was regretting how he went about showing Arachne his idea but felt that she would be more forgiving once she saw what he had accomplished. "I know it seems crazy but tell me, can you still feel what you are wearing? If you can pull it away from your body and try to look through it."

Though the top eyes on Arachne's forehead maintained a withering glare at Jon, the eyes centered on her face complied with his instruction as she reached between her breasts in a pantomime of pulling a top away from her body. "You did it! I can't see through my bodysuit!"

Arachne's head jerked up and she threw her torso at Jon's body with as much momentum as the limited space between them would allow, allowing him an unencumbered look at her body as she pressed him to the bed.

"He knows how to play! Jon Snow knows how to play!" she teased. "Itty, bitty baby Snow. You playing a trick on poor, defenseless me when I'm trapped, all alone, in this cave and at your mercy."

Jon's eyes felt like they were doing their best to escape from his skull as he took in all of Arachne's beautiful body from the swell of her breast to the thatch of hair where her thighs met. As Arachne ran her hand down her taut stomach and bared her teeth, Jon couldn't help but think he was the one who was trapped in her game and that any efforts to defend himself from her ministrations would be met with failure.

When Arachne dipped her face to the crook of her neck, he was greeted to a sight that had been threatening to take over his mind since he had woke that morning, the pale skin of Arachne's round arse in the flickering candlelight of the chamber. "Arachne," Jon started, causing Arachne to pull away from his neck.

Arachne blinked her eyes coquettishly as she made eye contact with Jon. "I thought that you wanted to do 'something else,' Jon Snow. Was I mistaken?"

Jon shook his head fervently, "No, I mean, you we weren't wrong. I have no problem with what we're doing."

Arachne pushed against his chest so she was in a sitting position, straddling his hips while her breasts were on full display for Jon's eager eyes. "I don't know. Maybe we should just go to sleep."

Jon's mouth dropped open as his mind raced to find the words to prevent such a thing from happening. "Didn't you say that after so much time being locked in your mind that you didn't want to go to sleep?"

Arachne smiled as she rolled off him and plopped down on the bed on her side so their faces were mere inches apart. "I may have said something like that but, after all this time, I am so close to leaving this gods forsaken cave. I should be well rested for when I greet the new world."

 _I could only imagine how much I would want to leave if I had been trapped somewhere for as long as Arachne has been here._ Jon thought to himself before speaking. "There is still the matter of transfiguring your eyes so everyone doesn't find out your secret when they see you. There is no telling how long that will take."

Arachne looked at Jon as if he was slow. "I've seen how quickly you regain your magic after you run out. Even if it takes that long for you to Transfigure, did you say, each eye, the whole process should take less than two hours."

Pausing to consider what Arachne had witnessed during his training, Jon spoke measuredly, "Even if we were to complete the Transfiguration it would hardly be proper for you to leave the cave in such a state." Jon gestured to Arachne's very visible body whit a smile at his own cleverness. "Walking around naked would draw far much more attention than an extra pair of eyes or two, or three, would cause. It's probably for the best that we just continue what we were doing."

Arachne's face grew stern at Jon's suggestion. "You agreed to help me out of this cave and now that you finally have a way to do so, you are suggesting that we stay here? I promise you that whatever you are imagining we would do in here pales in comparison to how I would thank the man who helps me leave this place."

Guilt wracked Jon's face as he considered what she must be thinking of him due to his actions. "I must beg forgiveness, Arachne. I did not mean to keep you trapped here for any longer than necessary. I was just caught up in the moment."

"There is nothing to forgive, Jon Snow. As long as you get me out of here as soon as possible then consider the matter forgotten."

Jon had the decency to blush as he spoke, "I can't exactly forget about it with your body so clearly visible."

Again Arachne pushed herself up to rest on her hip before gazing down at her body appraisingly. "Well consider it encouragement. You will change my bodysuit back to normal after you finish with Transfiguring my eyes. Until then, consider it a promise of what is to come once you help me out of here."

* * *

Just over two hours later, Jon wiped his brow exhausted after depleting his magic so many times throughout the course of the day.

 _ **Alteration: Transfiguration + 65,000**_

With one look at the remaining visible eyes on Arachne's forehead, Jon took a deep breath before collapsing backwards in exhaustion. "It's done."

The two eyes that Jon could see were firmly locked with his own. "I can't begin to tell you what this means to me. Just knowing that people would not run from me in terror makes me feel as if the power of the curse was receding," Arachne gushed as she laid her head down on his chest while never breaking the eye contact. "I must admit that I was skeptical to think that you could do such a thing, despite your assurances earlier. The prospect seemed far too good to be true but I wanted to believe you. I wanted to believe in you."

Jon allowed a smile to creep across his exhausted face. "Now all that is left is your teeth and no one would suspect you are more than a beautiful woman with purple hair and blood red eyes."

At this, Arachne batted her eyelashes, "Flattery will get you everywhere with women, Jon Snow, remember that. I'll keep my teeth, just as they are. I have no one else to talk to anyone in this new world and if they can't accept that my teeth are sharper than most then they won't be able to accept all the rest of what brought me to this place."

Although Jon could think of many instances where he had to talk to people that he did not want to, he did not seek to press the matter since Arachne seemed to have already made up her mind. "If you're sure then I won't push you to do something that you do not wish to do. I know that you want to get out of here as soon as possible but I'm tired after all the training today and the Transfiguration on top of it all."

It seemed that Arachne came to a similar conclusion on not pressing the matter with Jon as she chose to pursue a different line of questioning, "Then tell me how you made your clothes appear out of thin air this morning. I know that you can do magic but that's far beyond what the magic you've shown me should be able to do."

Jon raised an eyebrow at her statement while a chuckle rose in his throat, "You've seen me make the visible invisible and then you say me make something invisible visible again, why would you think that making clothes appear would be beyond what I could do with magic?"

Arachne gave an unamused huff as a very cute expression crossed her face before thumping his chest with her hand. "You promised."

After all that she had seen, the last thing that Jon had to worry about was telling Arachne about the Stargaryan Ring. "Well, it all started when the man who raised me as a son, the honorable Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell gave me a ring…"

* * *

 **AN2: I had to split this chapter's content in half since Arachne is such a scene stealer. Rest assured that the Return to Winterfell arc will be coming to a close in the next chapter or two. Thanks to everyone who made suggestions on what they would like to see, I have added around 20 of my favorites to my outline and will look to include them in future chapters. Keep the ideas coming and you just may see your influence on this story! Please let me know what you thought of the chapter in a review and I will push to get chapter 21 out asap!**


	21. SR021

**AN: As always, thank you to everyone who has reviewed! Even though I don't always respond directly, you can feel free to send a PM if you have a burning question. A couple of quick reminders, first and foremost, I still do not own ASoIaF, GoT, Skyrim or Fallout and, secondly, as mentioned in one of my earlier chapters I do not see this story involving a harem. While Jon does currently have three attractive female traveling companions, Westeros is a dangerous place and each of these characters have goals that may fall in line with Jon's for the moment but may fall out of alignment in the future. Anyway, onto the next chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

Though Arachne's expression varied as Jon told her of the abilities that he had gained from the Stargaryan Ring, she accepted what he told her without contesting his claims. _Apparently, after everything that she has seen me do and everything that she's been though, learning that something as simple as a ring could grant the wearer special magical powers isn't such a stretch. I wonder if either Ygritte or Ysolda would react so well if I told them._

Jon's internal musings were cut short as Arachne cleared her throat to get his attention. "There was a time that I would have said it was impossible," she said while wrapping her arms around her body. "It still sounds unlikely. Why would this 'Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell' have something like that in his possession? Why would it have failed him when it seems to work for you?"

Jon shrugged in an unconcerned way in response to her questions. "I'm really not sure. After getting it, I devoted myself to my training. I hadn't really taken time to question why it does what it does."

Though only two eyes were visible on Arachne's forehead after the Alteration magic that he had cast on her earlier, he was sure that if she could see the other six eyes then they would be just as wide as the two eyes that he could see on her face as she had to compose herself before she could give voice to the questions that he had sparked. "There is foreign and potentially dangerous magic in that ring. How can you be so casual about what it could possibly be doing to you? What if it is taking over your mind and turning you into something that you wouldn't have even recognized before slipping it on your finger?"

Jon bent the ring and pinkie finger on his hand so he could brush the ring with his thumb as he considered her words. "I have changed," Jon admitted while pushing his hair back with his hands. "I've changed more than I ever would have expected since I first put that ring on my finger. It's been less than two months and I feel that I have grown more than I would have in two years without it."

Arachne adapted a guarded posture due to Jon's words before her look shifted to disapproval. "So you are letting someone else's magic shape your life for you?"

Jon shook his head at the notion that he was allowing himself to be influenced by the ring but her words had struck a chord within him and the look on his face did nothing to hide the fact from her. "I have no reason to lie to you and I don't want to lie to myself. I doubt that I would be here now if not for the ring. Since it showed me exactly how far I had to go to be the person that I wanted to be, I have pushed harder than I ever did before to become that person."

Arachne tried to convey her concern over a magical object exerting such control over her actions through the tension in her brow and the look on her face. "What if it is steering you towards a path filled with darkness and despair?"

Jon shook his head and gave her a nervous smile. "It brought me to you. Could it really be that bad?"

Arachne rolled her eyes at his attempt to change the subject. "You realize that you are saying that it led you into the lair of a giant spider that had supped on all of the men that had come before it in the past, don't you? You're making my point for me."

Jon shook his head in disagreement, "It's helping me become who I want to be, I didn't realize that I was so feeble in the beginning and I have become strong. At least I have become strong enough to survive what I have faced so far and I will continue to gain strength until I have done all I can, knowing that if I fall that it was not because I was not prepared for what the world had in store for me."

Though it was apparent that Arachne had her reservations with Jon's thought process, she chose to change the subject, "I hope that you are right. You have accomplished what you said you would and have altered my appearance so that I will be able to leave this place and venture into your world. It is time for us to leave this place."

Jon nodded before turning his head to take in the sight of the chamber one final time before his gaze fell upon the trunk that had so called to Arachne when the pair first walked up the stairs. "What was in the trunk?"

Arachne gave Jon a mischievous look as it was apparent that she thought that he had forgotten that she had promised to show him the contents of the trunk when he revealed his secrets to her. "That was the deal, wasn't it? You would tell me your secrets and I would tell you mine then we would both get out of here. Well, it seems that the time has come to show you what was in the trunk. Turn around for a moment and I'll tell you when you can look so I can show you properly."

Jon did as instructed and turned around to give Arachne the space that she desired so she could show him the contents of the trunk 'properly.' After almost a minute of waiting, Jon was tempted to turn around and voiced his desire, "Is it ready?"

"Just," Arachne seemed to be struggling with something. "A," Jon heard a slapping sound. "Second," there was another slapping sound. "Alright, you can turn around now."

Jon turned around and his mouth fell open. Almost any young woman could be captivating to a lad of Jon's age if she showed as much skin as Arachne had shown in the immodest garb that he had become accustom to seeing her wearing during their time together in the cave but he was not so sure that many other girls would look quite so alluring in a shiny black get-up, such as what Arachne was currently wearing.

Though Jon was quite appreciative of how the ensemble seemed to cling to her body like a second skin, he didn't understand why she would have wanted him to turn around to change into something that was so modest by comparison to what he had seen her wearing. He especially did not understand why she would do such a thing after he had seen her body in all of its glory when he had first shown her the power of Alteration magic.

"Um, that is quite a shiny outfit that you have there," Jon tried to placate the amorphous woman. "Er, I can see why something like that would appeal to you."

The force of Arachne's laughs caused her to double over. It took several moments for her to compose herself enough to reply, "I should have expected that reaction. The significance of this particular finding is not in how it looks but what it does."

Arachne walked towards a section of wall that was not covered in books and proceeded to put her hand on the section of wall above her head, followed by her other hand, a foot and, finally, her other foot. By repeating this pattern she quickly scaled the wall and made her way to the ceiling where she was currently located and staring down at Jon.

"What I found in the trunk let me harness some of the abilities of the spider while still maintaining control over myself." The connection between Arachne's feet and the ceiling was abruptly severed causing her body to swing down from the ceiling, connected only by her arms, before she released her hold to drop down in a crouch squarely in front of Jon lending to her face resting squarely in front of his crotch for a moment before she rose to meet his gaze while standing at her full height. "With this, we can escape this place."

Over the course of Arachne's demonstration Jon's expression shifted from confused to impressed and back to confused again. "That's quite the ability but how will it allow us to escape this cave?"

Arachne shook her head in exasperation while walking over to the door next to the desk and removing a key from somewhere in her form-fitting outfit to unlock the door before pushing it open and revealing a balcony that looked out over the trail that had led Jon to the cave in the first place. "With this I can climb down the face of the cliff."

Jon looked at the sheer cliff face that was gleaming under the light of the moon, "Alright, even if that is the case I would still be stuck here. You can't be thinking that I would put that on to carry us down."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Arachne pivoted on her heel and gave Jon a slap on the back of his head causing him to pitch forward slightly before regaining his balance.

While pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers, Arachne responded, "No, Jon. I was not suggesting that you put on this outfit. I am saying that _I_ will be able to get us down from here."

A skeptical look appeared on Jon's face due to the proclamation. "No offense, Arachne, but from what I saw when we were training I don't know if you will be strong enough to carry the both of us from here. Also, is it a good idea for you to rely on the suit's power? If it was calling to you with the same power of the Old One that trapped you in the first place aren't you worried about how the additional magic could affect you? It may not be the same as my ring but you have been under the Old One's power for far longer and it could be dangerous to you."

Arachne's eyes went wide at Jon's logic, "It felt so natural when I put it on for the first time. I thought it was reacting to me based on the time I spent as a spider, not because it too was a vessel for the Old One's magic."

"We can find another way if you don't want to risk the suit," Jon offered while putting a hand on Arachne's arm as a consolation. "I'm sure there would be a way to use magic to get us down."

Involuntarily, Arachne's right hand rose to clench the pulsating red gem that was still visible on her throat. "Even if I leave the cave, I can't forget what caused me to be here in the first place. The Old One is the reason I have been trapped for so long. I can't explain it fully but wearing the suit feels like I am embracing what has happened to me. For every day there is a night and for every light there is a shadow. Maybe, just maybe, for every curse there is a blessing and maybe this is a blessing from the Old God to make up for the time that I spent under her curse."

A puzzled look formed on Jon's face as he considered Arachne's reasoning. "I suppose that could be the case but it seems like a bit of a stretch. Why would the Old One, the one who cursed you, leave you something like that? I was taught that when something seems too good to be true than it usually is too good to be true."

"Is your ring too good to be true?" Arachne's words lacked hostility. It seemed that Arachne was hoping for a more positive reaction to confirm her theory was possible. "Is it so wrong to think that the good in the world should balance out the evils of the world?"

"No, I don't think looking for the good in the world is necessarily a bad thing," Jon's words were measured. "But, if you decide to keep it, I think you should be wary of being blinded to any negative side effects while focusing on the positives."

Arachne nodded solemnly, "I'm going to keep it for now, at least. At this point I would accept almost any negative side effects if it meant finally leaving this cave."

"Alright," though his reservations could be heard in his tone, Jon voiced his agreement. "Then let's get back to how we are going to get out of here. Unless that suit increased your strength by a fair amount, I still don't see how you would be able to climb down from here with my weight in addition to your own."

A flexed arm clad in the shiny black material was Jon's response. "In this suit, I should be more than strong enough to hold your weight while climbing down from here." Arachne walked to the edge of the balcony closest to the wall of stone that Jon had observed to be unnaturally smooth when he had found the cave in the first place. "You'll climb onto my back and we'll get out of here together."

Though the thought of having a woman carry him to freedom seemed slightly emasculating to Jon after hearing Sansa's tales of gallant knights rescuing damsels in distress, the prospect of being so close to Arachne's body more than made up for any discomfort he felt from the slight role-reversal. "Alright, let's do this!"

Jon walked over to Arachne and wrapped his arms around her neck before pressing against her backside.

Arachne surprised Jon by reaching behind him with both hands and grabbing his legs and picking him up while pulling his legs forward to indicate that he should wrap them around her waist. "No need to be shy now, Jon Snow. I won't be able to hold onto you while I'm climbing and falling from this height will not end well."

When Jon complied, Arachne put her right hand on the wall followed by her left and pulled them away from the balcony. Despite some shuffling when Jon noticed a growing discomfort caused by Arachne's body undulating against his own as they descended, it only took a few minutes for them to reach the ground and the bottom of the cliff.

As soon as his feet hit the ground Jon was met with a notification.

 _ **Quest Alert! Eyes on the Prize  
Main Objective: **__Assist Arachne in altering her appearance so she can travel through the world unmolested by those that would fear someone that looked different than themselves._ _ **  
Quest Rewards for Completion:**_ _1,000,000 experience, Weaver Silk Under Armor set, Unlock Broken Treasure quest, gain Arachne as companion, Spell Tome: Conjure Familiar._

Jon's eyes widened as he remembered that the original reason that he decided to help Arachne escape was for the massive experience reward for the Eyes on the Prize quest. _I should check my stats. Between all of the training in the cave and the experience that I got as a reward for that quest, I must have leveled up._

 _ **Jon Snow Level 22: 4,033,899/4,670,322**_

Just looking at his level caused a massive grin to spread across Jon's face. _I gained two whole levels over the course of one night with the extra training time that I was able to access in the cave! I'll have to remember this place so I can grind in the future. If having the Stargaryan Ring was not already unfair enough when it comes to training now I know of a place where I can train as much as I want without having to worry about missing out on other opportunities._

The prospect of being able to effectively level the skills that now required so much experience to level up practically had Jon salivating but he was ready to finish the Return to Winterfell quest after so much time away. _Alright, so I'm at level 22 now. Now I'll check my S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Perks._

 _ **S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Perks**_

 _ **2 Available**_

 _ **Strength: 6  
Perception: 6  
**_ _Sixth Sense – The ability to read body language and situations allowing you to predict the most likely future outcome. What you choose to make of the information acquired by this perk is up to you._ _ **  
Endurance: 6  
Charisma: 4  
**_ _Situational Awareness – Basic understanding of how to compose yourself in a given situation to help obtain your desired results_ _ **  
Intelligence: 10  
**_ _Deeper Understanding – Get the most out of the books that you read. You can now find more insights in the books that you read._ _ **  
**_ _Read-Absorb –Absorb the content of a book to increase your knowledge of its subject. Time taken for successful absorption is equal to the amount of time it would take to naturally read the book.  
Read-Experience – Experience the content of a book. Choosing this method will provide a much more comprehensive of the contents of a book.  
Intermediate Mysticism – Allows recovery of MP at a rate double to your current Intelligence level per minute outside of combat._ _ **  
Agility: 5  
Luck: 5**_

 _Alright, I have two points available to distribute. I could either add both points to Charisma to bring it up to six, which would put it in line with Strength, Perception and Endurance or I could add a point each to Agility and Luck so that five out of the seven perks would be at level six._

After careful consideration, Jon chose to take a different path by adding one point to Charisma and one point to Agility. _My interactions have become much more interesting since raising Charisma to level four, hopefully the extra Charisma makes things even more interesting in the future. Considering how I fight, increasing my Agility only makes sense. I could always use more Luck but I would rather be skilled so I can make my own luck._

 _Anyway, let's see what my other stats look like._

 _ **Vitals**_

 _ **100 Available**_

 _ **HP: 200/200  
SP: 350/350  
MP: 350/350**_

 _Two levels worth of points are available to increase my Vitals. It's an easy choice here, 50 points to Stamina and 50 points to Magic. I think it's pretty safe to say that I've embraced the adage that the best defense is a great offense. I won't be able to take many hits but as long as I can take out my opponents before they get the chance to damage me then that should not be too much of a problem._

 _Now I'll check my skills._

 _ **Skills**_

 _ **Archery 11 (203,500/205,500)  
Overdraw 2: **__Bows do 30% more damage.  
_ _ **Tracking Shot:**_ _Anticipate the way your opponent will move and adjust your aim accordingly. Shots to the head do three times more damage than regular shots. Chance for instant kill based on level of opponent relative to level of Archery skill._

 _Archery is very close to leveling up. It shouldn't be too hard to get to level 12 before I get back to Winterfell especially since it is my only ranged attack option if I don't want to reveal my magic to the Free Folk._

 _ **Blocking 12 (242,700/310,000)  
Fundamental Defense: **__Blocks prevent 20% more damage_

 _ **Evasion 14 (551,950/552,550)  
Evasive Tactics: **__30% more likely to evade enemy attacks_

 _ **Light Armor 10 (53,950/102,400)  
Agile Defender: **__20% less damage taken when wearing Light Armor_

 _ **Heavy Armor**_

 _My Blocking, Evasion and Light Armor skills are all at decent levels. If Arachne wants to continue her physical training now that she has that suit, they should level up pretty quickly. I still haven't had any chance to get experience with Heavy Armor but, at this point, it seems that it may be best to just stick with Light Armor rather than trying to start from square one with Heavy Armor._

 _ **One-handed 16 (773,250/846,036)  
Armsman: **__One-Handed weapons do 20% more damage._ _ **  
Dual-wield:**_ _Use one handed weapons with equal proficiency with either or both hands._

 _ **Two-Handed 13 (355,001/425,500)  
Barbarian: **__Two-Handed weapons do 20% more damage._

 _My sword skills are pretty high level. Eventually I'd like to see if I can come up with any attacks that use magic to increase the power of my sword skills. Maybe I should go back in the cave after all… training magical sword skills would probably raise a few eyebrows and cause a lot more questions than I would want to answer. No, I'm not going back into the cave. I'm going to finish the Return to Winterfell quest._

 _ **Lock Picking 7 (10,500/12,800)**_

 _ **Pickpocket**_

 _ **Sneak 8 (16,780/25,600)  
Stealth: **__You are 20% harder to detect when sneaking._

 _Still no progress with the Pickpocket skill but Lock Picking and Sneak are at a pretty good level at this point. It may just be because I know they could be higher but I would like them to be at least level ten since they could come in handy in the future at the most unexpected times._

 _ **Speech 8 (24,851/25,600)  
Taunt: **__Words have power. With your words you can cause people to act out of character often forcing errors and lapses of judgment. 30% chance of success against those with lower levels; effective reduced by 1% per level for targets with higher levels._ _ **  
Negotiation:**_ _20% more likely to reach a compromise  
_ _ **Command:**_ _The ability to give instruction and the likelihood that those instructions will be followed. The likelihood of a command's success depends upon the level of the one giving and the level of the one receiving the command, reputation and other variables._

 _I can't believe that I didn't get any experience towards my Speech ability in the cave with how much time Arachne and I spent talking. I would have expected this skill to have grown quite a bit after my time in the cave. Oh well, hopefully the increase to Charisma will help me level this skill in the future._

 _ **Alchemy 8 (16,667/25,600)  
Alchemist: **__Brewed potions and poisons are 20% more effective._ _ **  
Potioneer's Instinct:**_ _Tasting ingredients will unlock their properties for use in poison and potion making._

 _ **Smithing 8 (18,000/25,600)  
Apprentice Smithing: **__Craft beginner weapons and armor that are 10% more effective than standard weapons and armor.  
_ _ **Leather Working:**_ _Craft and improve leather apparel and armor twice as much_

 _ **Enchanting 3 (500/800)**_

 _No surprise that my crafting abilities haven't increased since leaving Winterfell. Though I'm pretty sure several of the books that Arachne found for me in the cave were about Enchanting, I doubt I will have time to read them until I get back to Winterfell. I could absorb the content from those books but it seems like it would be a waste considering how much more I get out of experiencing the books. That's a problem for another day._

 _ **Destruction 11 (164,350/205,000)  
Fireball 5 – Intermediate (1,850/3,200): **__Destruction magic that allows the user to shoot balls of fire from their hands. Cost: 50 MP. Damage: 40 HP (Strong likelihood of causing burn)._ _ **  
Flames 8 – Basic (13,500/25,600):**_ _Destruction magic that allows the user to shoot a torrent of fire from their hands. Cost 8 MP per second. Damage: 5 HP per second (Low likelihood of causing burn)._ _ **  
Frost 7 – Basic (10,300/12,800):**_ _Destruction magic that allows the user to shoot frost crystals from their hands in an arc that can hit multiple enemies at the same time. Currently shoots three snowflakes. Cost 10 MP. Damage: 5 HP per frost crystal (Low likelihood of freezing opponent)._ _ **  
Sparks 6 – Basic (5,000/6,400):**_ _Destruction magic that will call down the power of lightning from the sky that will home in on an opponent within 15 feet of the caster and strike without fail. Cost: 16 MP. Damage: 12 HP.  
_ _ **Magic Manipulation 11 (125,000/102,400):**_ _The ability to control the world as you see fit. The application of this skill is only limited by the creativity of the manipulator. If you can dream it, you can do it with Magic Manipulation._ _ **Level 10 Bonus:**_ Your increased magical aptitude has increased. Damage from Destruction magic doubled and spells' cost for basic level destruction reduced by half.

 _ **Conjuration 10 (62,000/102,400)  
Light 10 (61,500/102,400): **__Creates a ball of light that will float above you, illuminating your path. This ball of light will follow the caster as they move through the world. With finer control of your magic, you will have the ability to direct the ball of light as you please. 10 MP used per 30 seconds that the ball of light remains in existence._

 _ **Alteration 10 (100,500/102,400)  
Warg 8 (15,500/25,500): **__The ability to enter and take control of another creature. The cost of this ability along with the variety of creatures that you can control is based on your relative levels and the familiarity between yourself and the creature that you wish to control. It will cost more MP to attempt to warg into a creature that is closer to your level and hostile towards you than it would to warg into the same creature if it was lower level and friendly towards you. The first time warging into a creature will have an additional MP cost to establish the warg link. As you warg more frequently with the same creature, the cost of warging into that creature will decrease.  
_ _ **Transfiguration 10 (85,000/102,400):**_ _Transfiguration is the ability to change the shape or properties of an object. The magical cost of this type of spell varies depending on the magical density of the subject. Magical density is determined by the magical potential of an object. Items with low magical potential, such as cloth, will require less magic to Transfigure than items with high magical density, such as dragon scale. When it comes to Transfiguration, what you can accomplish is limited only by your imagination and your magical reserves and if both are sufficient then there is nothing that you can't accomplish._

 _ **Illusion 10 (54,500/102,400)  
Magical Distortion 9 (43,000/51,200): **__Using magic, blend an object perfectly with other objects in the vicinity to hide it perfectly from the untrained eye. The number of objects that can be placed under a magical distortion vary based on magical reserves and the cost of the magical distortion will vary based on mastery of illusion magic.  
_ _ **Calm 8 (10,000/12,800):**_ _Calm is a novice spell that will cause a hostile creature or person to cease their aggressions until they are enraged for any reason. Spell cost determined by the level of the target relative to your level; base cost 50 MP +/- 1% for every level higher/lower the target is when compared to the caster._

 _ **Restoration 11 (102,900/205,000)  
Magic Ward 10 (101,400/102,400)**_ _: There are two varieties of the basic Magic Ward. For 5 MP you can create a Magic Ward that will negate any damage from being taken from this spell. For 10 MP you can create a Reflective Magic Ward that will reflect the spell back upon the caster. Depending on your skill levels in other skills, either variety can be applied in a variety of ways which can then be used to negate damage.  
_ _ **Heal 4 (1,000/1,600):**_ _Restores 10 health points per second after being cast. Spell cost 12 MP per second when used by the caster on him or herself. Spell cost 15 MP per second when used to heal another._

 _All of my magic skills are at least at level 10 which was the second objective for the Return to Winterfell quest. Even though it seems like this quest has taken forever, it will all be worth it if I can save someone from the life of a cripple._ Jon equipped the Weaver Silk Under Armor set under his armor and immediately felt the strong, silky, smoothness of the under armor set as a sharp contrast to the rough feeling of the attire he had become accustomed to wearing before he exited his stats.

Jon's attention shifted to the book in his hand with the words 'Conjure Familiar' emblazoned across the cover. Just as he was about to crack the book open a sound to his left caused him to store the spell tome into his inventory before turning to see what had happened.

What he saw caused him to draw a sharp breath. Arachne was on her knees clutching the glowing gemstone centered on her neck. Though the gemstone regularly pulsed with power it was glowing much more vibrantly than he had ever seen before… as were Arachne's eyes, causing her to look positively demonic.

 _ **Quest Alert! Broken Treasure  
Main Objective: **__Though she made it out of the cave, Arachne is not out of the woods yet. The final temptation of the Old God is attempting to enslave Arachne to continue the punishment that started so long ago. To save Arachne from a fate worse than death, find a way to break the curse within a year.  
_ _ **Rewards for Completion:**_ _2,500,000 experience, ?, ?, ?  
_ _ **Penalty for Failure:**_ _Arachne will be forever lost to the power of the Old One._

Jon quickly accepted the quest before rushing to Arachne to make sure that she was ok. "Arachne, it'll be alright. Fight against the power of the Old One! Don't let it lock you away again!"

Arachne snarled at Jon, showing the razor sharp teeth that lined her mouth in a feral approximation of a smile. The voice that came out of her mouth was nothing like what Jon had come to expect from the lilac haired woman. In a dark voice that resonated power, Arachne spoke, "This one has not finished her penance yet. Until she has she will never be free of me."

"We'll see about that," Jon countered as he channeled as much magic as he could before casting an overpowered Calm spell.

The light from Arachne's eyes gradually diminished until they were back to the blood red that was normal for her. As the power receded back to the gemstone on her neck, a single tear escaped her left eye before she slumped forward in a faint to be caught by Jon.

 _ **Illusion: Calm +5000**_

Unsure of when Arachne would wake up, Jon scooped her up in his arms and started to make his way back to the camp where he had left the Free Folk both so long ago and so recently. As he ran, a sound broke through the stillness of the night. There was a wolf and it was very close.

Instead of breaking into a panic, Jon broke into a smile at the sound. Though it was possible to distinguish the howl of a male wolf from that of a female wolf with relative ease, it was much more difficult to distinguish the howl of one male wolf from another male wolf or one female wolf from another female wolf. Jon thought he could tell the difference between the howl of a direwolf from one of its less distinguished brethren.

 _Ghost is close,_ Jon thought to himself. _After treacherous members of the Nights Watch tried to kidnap Ysolda, it shouldn't be too difficult to convince the Free Folk that another traitor of the Nights Watch succeeded in doing the same thing with another young woman._

Another howl told Jon that Ghost was getting closer. To prepare for the arrival of his trusty direwolf, Jon gently placed Arachne on the ground and readied himself to draw his sword from its sheath to confront the man who was fleeing from his duties and breaking the vows that he made to the Nights Watch and the realm.

There was a rustling sound in the bushes and a young man garbed in black with a black cap that covered foppish blonde hair and the thick leathers of the Watch with a thick fur trim hurdled into the through the bramble with a slightly deranged look on his face. Upon seeing Jon, the man's eyes went wide before he tried to charge Jon in an attempt to overpower him so he could continue his flight from the undead creatures north of the Wall.

Unfortunately for the man, Jon was more than ready for him. He was able to avoid the man's lunging attack with an effortless dodge while using his momentum to pivot around the man while drawing his sword and using the pommel to knock the man out by smashing it against the base of his skull.

 _ **Evasion +500  
One-Handed +500**_

Jon bent down and used his hands to quickly pat down the man to ensure that he did not have any concealed weapons. He was gratified to find a small knife in the man's right boot which could have caused a problem if it went unchecked and it was assumed that the man had been secured.

As Jon removed the knife from the man's boot, and stored it in his inventory, he was promptly bowled over by a wall of white fur the hit him with a surprising amount of force before he felt a rough and slightly slimy tongue liking at his face.

While laughing at the absurdity of such a large animal behaving like a mere pup, Jon shoved Ghost's eyes away so he could look his canine friend in the eyes. "It's good to see you too boy! I see that you even brought me a souvenir from your travels. Hopefully he didn't cause you too much trouble."

Ghost stared at Jon with a look that Jon interpreted to mean, "A single man like this couldn't hope to challenge me, it was all he could do to keep himself together while he knew I was in pursuit."

Just then, Mance and several other members of the Free Folk burst into the clearing with their weapons drawn as they eyed down the mighty direwolf. Clearly trying to take control of the situation, Mance spoke in a steady voice, "Be gone with you, beast. We don't want to hurt a beast so favored by the Old Gods, just as you don't want to hurt the lad. Just step away."

Realizing that he had to diffuse the situation before the arrows started flying, Jon pushed the direwolf's large head away from his face and stood while keeping a hand on the neck of the wolf. "He's alright; it's that one that we need to watch out for."

Mance's eyes moved from Jon to the Direwolf and back to Jon before he spoke. "Jon Snow, you can't mean to tell me that the beast that stands beside you could possibly be the pup that would follow in your shadow at Winterfell?"

Jon stroked Ghosts neck in an attempt to reassure him that the men that were approaching were friends while keeping his voice level, "Aye, this is Ghost. Even though he is a bit bigger than when you last saw him, I can assure you that the pup and this brute are one and the same."

"But how could that be?" Mance's confusion while attempting to reconcile the fully grown direwolf with the pup that he had become accustomed to seeing with Jon at Winterfell were one and the same. "Judging by his size, that direwolf has seen many winters. Can you say the same?"

A grimace formed on Jon's face at the reminder that he was still considered untested by the Northmen that had seen what would be considered a 'true winter'. He took a moment before responding, "Aye, this direwolf is one and the same though I do not believe that the two of you ever had a proper introduction. Ghost, this man most likely has several names that I have not yet heard but he is Mance and Camen the leader of the Free Folk. Of all the people that might have tried their luck searching for me since we left Winterfell, he is the only one that managed to accomplish the task."

Ghost strode forward purposefully towards the man that Jon had identified while making audible sniffing sounds. Though the advance initially caused Mance to raise his guard, he adopted a look of begrudging acceptance as Jon kept pace with the massive beast and it sniffed his hand as if to test his character.

Although Jon became nervous when Ghost did not react immediately as his snout came into contact with Mance's outstretched palm, when Jon felt Ghost's shoulders moving slightly and looked back to see Ghost's tail wagging he knew that he didn't have to worry about the direwolf attacking his fellow travelers.

"I would say that we have bigger things to deal with than Ghost finding us right now. He was not exactly alone when I found him," Jon gestured to the member of the Arachne and the member of the Nights Watch. "The girl seemed to be escaping from the man before I knocked him unconscious while Ghost was following both of them."

The simple gesture from Jon was sufficient to shift the focus of Mance, and the other members of the Free Folk that had accompanied him in to the wood to face the fearsome wolf that they heard howling, to the unconscious bodies on the ground in the near vicinity. Not unexpectedly, Mance was the first to find his voice, "I can't speak to where the woman was stolen from but I would bet the last gold dragon in my purse that the man is a member of the Nights Watch. From the looks of it, maybe I should say that he _was_ a member of the Nights Watch, being so far south of the Wall."

Jon nodded while trying to keep a smile off his face as his attempt to mislead Mance seemed to be accepted without question. "After what we saw of the Nights Watch at that town, I can't say that I'm surprised. If I hadn't seen that there were still honorable members of the Nights Watch when I was in the Shadow tower, I would question how the Lords of Westeros put faith in the members of the Nights Watch to keep the realm safe."

Mance's face became unreadable as Jon made his comment. "Oh, is that what they do? You truly believe that they 'keep the realm safe'?"

A disgusted look formed on Jon's face as he thought about what members of the Nights Watch had done under the guise of keeping the realm safe. "They say the words and vow to protect the realm."

Mance harrumphed, "Aye, they vow to protect the realm but what are they protecting the realm from? I know that you have seen enough to know that sometimes the realm needs protection from its supposed protectors."

A resolute nod was Jon's immediate reaction. "They let those Wildlings loose on the village of Dawnstar before moving against the very menace that they allowed to prey upon the town."

Mance's eyes narrowed at the way that Jon had said Wildling. "Those men made their choices, both the Cave People that you speak of and the men of the Nights Watch that said their fancy words. Surely you can't think less of a man for acting upon his right to make the decisions that shape his life?"

Jon's face showed his frustration as he tried to reconcile how he felt about what had happened in Dawnstar and what had almost happened to Ysolda. "Nay, I don't think it's the fact that they chose to make the decisions that should be focused on in their judgment but rather how their decisions impacted others and how much others suffered because of the decisions that they made that should be the deciding factor."

While listening to Jon's rationalization, Mance nodded with an impassive face. "Sound reasoning but how can you judge a man's choice without knowing what drove him to make such a decision?"

"The villagers of Dawnstar should not have had to fear for their lives just because of where their village was located," Jon spat with ill-concealed frustration. "They depended on the Nights Watch for protection and it was because of members of the Nights Watch that decided that they did not have to abide by the vows that they had sworn to uphold that the village suffered. The Cave People may have had it in their minds to attack the village before they were given a way to do so by the Nights Watch but the fact remains that they would not have been able to do so without the assistance of those traitors."

It was Mance's turn to nod but his face was unreadable, "Treachery can open doors that are best left closed but, whether the door was opened to them or they found a way, who is to say that the Cave People would not have found another way to attack the village even if the Nights Watch did not assist them by providing passage through the Wall?"

The words echoed through Jon's mind, "That may well be the case but we can never know either way, now. I was forced to spend some time in the caves of the Cave People and did not see anything that made me think that they led a life of privilege. It could have been that they saw attacking the village as their only means of surviving when winter comes to Westeros but they should have found another way."

For the first time since the conversation had started, a trace of a smile started to form on Mance's face, "You have more wisdom than many men twice your age, Jon Snow. You are not letting your judgment be clouded by what you have been brought up to believe. It would be easy to think that the Cave People were in the wrong simply because they happened to live north of the Wall but, in this case, it would seem that the members of the Nights Watch were at least equally responsible for the fate of Dawnstar."

Jon walked to Ysolda and made a show of checking her pulse before turning to Mance to respond. "After meeting you lot, I think that men should be judged from their choices instead of where they born or who they were born to. Evil lives in men's hearts and is just as likely to find a home in the heart of a man born to privilege as a man born to squalor."

Though there was a hint of amusement in his voice, Jon detected the steely resolution in Mance's voice when he spoke, "So, it seems that you have figured out just how far from Winterfell the Free Folk have come from. Now you have a choice. You have seen that we can interact and live alongside the people of, what you call, the North amicably after making the choice to do so. You have also seen how much destruction a man's choice can have on others even if his intentions may be to provide the best life possible to his people."

After hearing Mance's words, Jon waited to be presented with a choice for several moments until he realized that Mance expected him to determine what the choice was on his own, "In my eyes, it is not where you come from that determines whether or not you are a danger to those around you but the choices that you make. I know that there is far worse lurking beyond the Wall than desperate people that are trying their best to make the best of their lots in life. I'm not saying that desperate people can't be dangerous, the Cave people show that is not the case, but when compared to the true enemy it seems like a better decision to band together as men and work towards a world where we band together to deal with true threats and work together to make sure that each man can provide for his own rather than fight amongst ourselves while the true enemy creeps closer."

For the first time since Jon and Mance started talking, the men that he had brought with him gave a cheer of approval. Mance looked to his men and saw recognition in their eyes after hearing Jon's impassioned words. "Well said. There is a great evil to the North of the Wall. I have dedicated to gathering those who would rather band together to have a chance at survival than make short term gains that would see everyone at odds when we are forced to face the true threat."

Reminding himself of proper decorum Jon closed his mouth, which had fallen open at Mance's proclamation of uniting people to face off against the true threat to the north. "I don't care if the Free Folk are Wildlings. I saw the glowing blue eyes of what lurks beyond the Wall and I saw how it was able to dismantle armed men with the ease of a master at arms taking down a green child. If you are willing to go up against such a threat then I will not be the one to make people aware of where you and those who chose to follow you come from."

Mance nodded succinctly at Jon's conclusion then made eye contact with two of his men before gesturing to the unconscious member of the Nights Watch causing them to break ranks and collect the downed man. "It looks like the job of 'protecting the realms of man' now falls to us. I can't pretend that I don't look forward to delivering this man of the Nights Watch to the justice that they have been so quick to deliver to my people."

Though Jon was hesitant because Mance had all but admitted that he and the Free Folk that were Wildlings that had ventured south of the wall to escape the undead monstrosities that were coming as surely as winter, Jon couldn't find it within himself to disagree with how Mance must be feeling after being hunted by the Nights Watch for the simple crime of being who he was. "I'll look after the girl until she wakes up. Before she passed out I told her that I would take care of the man who was chasing her. It would be better if she woke up to a familiar fae after what she's been through."

After a snort, Mance cast an appraising gaze at Jon, "You already have two women that can barely tolerate each other at each other's throats because of their desire for you. Are you sure that you're man enough to add a third to the mix?"

The doubts on Jon's face must have been clear to Mance as the older man let out a deep, booming laugh. Not one to appreciate being the butt of jokes, especially after growing up as a bastard in the north, Jon's mouth set in a deep scowl before he responded, "Ygritte would be the first to tell you or anyone else who dared to tell her what to do that she is one of the Free Folk and she will make her own decisions. Ysolda lost everyone in her village to the treacherous members of the Nights Watch and is only traveling with us to find the last person that she has known in her life. Arachne shouldn't be a problem."

Mance's eyes narrowed at the slip of the tongue that made it seem that revealed there was more to the story than Jon had initially let on. "Arachne is it? One might wonder how the two of you had time to make acquaintance before she fell unconscious."

Cursing himself for the slip of the tongue that roused Mance's suspicion, Jon tried to cover his tracks, "Not as much as you may be thinking. The man yelled her name while he was chasing after her and I only just had time to assure her that everything was going to be ok before he attacked me and she passed out."

Apparently satisfied with the explanation, the suspicious look on Mance's face disappeared as he inclined his head while sweeping his arm across his body as if inviting Jon to go to Arachne. "Alright then, grab the girl and let's get back to the camp. Your wolf's howling made it impossible to sleep and there are two women who were quite displeased to find that you had left in the middle of the night without bothering to tell anyone where you were going. One of them seemed to take it in her mind that you just disappeared from your covers after stirring fretfully and going back to sleep."

It took every ounce of control Jon had to not let the surprise that Ysolda had managed to figure out that something was amiss change his expression from mild confusion. "How could anyone just disappear from under the covers?" Jon tried to maintain a joking tone to discredit any claims about how he managed to find himself away from the camp, despite how true the claims happened to be.

It was apparent that Mance was skeptical about Jon's explanation but the older man decided not to press the topic choosing instead to focus on what the addition of two additional travelers could mean with the already tenuous détente that Jon had established when he, Ygritte and Ysolda were fetching the horses that Jon and the members of the Nights Watch had ridden to Dawnstar. "Well, whatever the case may be, I would recommend that you decide what you are going to do about the situation you may well find yourself in depending on how that girl interacts with the other two that have set their eyes on you. Securing a prisoner is definitely the easier of the two options that we are faced with."

Unsure of whether or not the tentative peace between Ygritte and Ysolda would withstand Arachne's presence, Jon merely shrugged. "The situation is far from ideal but we'll have to make the best of it. After all, it wouldn't be right to leave her here with everything that she's been through."

"Right you are," Mance agreed. "Even this far south of the Wall, traveling alone is always a risk and that risk is even greater for a woman who can't defend herself."

Though the concept of Arachne being unable to defend herself was laughable to Jon as he knew that she was strong enough to carry another person down the face of a cliff in addition to her own weight, he nodded agreement while thinking that, with the exception of the women of Bear island and the Iron Islands, most of the women of Westeros were not trained to be able to defend themselves in the event of an attack while they were traveling.

Apparently Mance's men were experienced in taking prisoners. In almost no time, they had checked the man for weapons before binding his hands and hoisting him from the ground to carry him on their shoulders. Taking that as a queue to act, Jon moved to Arachne and scooped her as gently as he could from the ground to carry her as if she were his bride and they were retiring to their chambers for the first time as man and wife.

The men's apprehension at traveling with a beast such as Ghost was evident as they kept casting glances in the direwolf's direction. Fortunately, Ghost was content to be reunited with his master and did not show any signs of aggression or hostility to the men that Jon was clearly not looking at as a threat.

The trip back to the camp was made in relative silence and the silence that had fell upon the group made the trek seem much longer than when it was just Jon traveling by himself in the moonlight. Still, eventually the group made their way back to the camp which was abuzz with activity despite the late hour due to the wariness of the Free Folk caused by the howl that had broken the stillness of the night.

Unsurprisingly, as soon as he made it back into the camp, he was immediately met by Ygritte and Ysolda who had matching expressions of annoyance on their face as they found another girl in Jon's arms.

Living up to the fiery association most made with her hair, Ygritte was the first to speak. "Who's that you're carrying? Did you leave the camp to find her? Why are you the one carrying her? What was a girl with ridiculous hair like this doing by herself this far from the closest town? If she's been injured then she should be tended to by the old women, they have experience dealing with injuries. You shouldn't be bothering with her."

Unable to get a word in to answer her questions, Jon waited until a pointed look told him that she was waiting for his answers. "That was a lot of questions. Her name is Arachne. I ran into her when I went into the woods to stretch my legs since I was having trouble getting to sleep. I was the last person she saw before she passed out and want to be there for her when she wakes up so she isn't frightened waking up in an unknown place surrounded by unknown people. There was a deserter from the Nights Watch that has been taken prisoner and will be delivered to justice after breaking his vows. I don't think there are any injuries, it looked like she fell unconscious." Jon mentally ticked off the questions that Ygritte had posed as he responded to her. "What's wrong with her hair? I think it looks nice."

Apparently Jon should not have added his last thought as it caused the frowns on the girls' faces to deepen. Ysolda crossed her arms in front of her body in a defiant pose before speaking, "I heard you moving about under your furs but I saw you there. It was like you were there one moment and then you disappeared."

Ysolda's statement caused Jon to gulp audibly. "People don't just disappear," Jon tried to sound reassuring. "Maybe you just missed it when I got up to stretch my legs."

A blush started to form on Ysolda's face that was quite visible in the light of the moon as she shook her head. "After that man almost took me after what they did to my family and friends, I was scared what would happen to me if you hadn't done what you did. It made me feel safe knowing that you were laying so close. I… I just watched you after I heard you stirring. You were lying there and looked to be sleeping soundly until there was a shimmer and you disappeared. I looked around the camp but couldn't find you and then there was that howl that woke up everyone else."

Ysolda shrieked as she felt warm breath on her neck followed by a damp pressure at the hairline behind her right ear. She turned around and saw Ghost looking at her with a puzzled expression as she fell to the ground and scrambled to put Jon between her and the massive beast.

As if to prove her boldness in contrast to the quivering mess that Ysolda had become upon seeing the direwolf, Ygritte strode forward confidently and raised her hand to pet Ghost. "What happened to you, boy? You're much bigger than the last time that I saw you."

It was evident that Ghost appreciated the attention as he leaned his shaggy head forward and proceeded to lick Ygritte's face with a quick swipe of his massive tongue. Ygritte laughed and took the display of affection as permission to continue stroking his shaggy head.

"Don't worry, Ysolda, Ghost would never attack a friend. Isn't that right boy?" Jon asked while beckoning Ghost to come forward to meet his new friend. "Ysolda, this is Ghost. Ghost, this is Ysolda. You wouldn't let anyone hurt her, would you?"

Ghost padded over to Jon and sniffed at Ysolda. Choosing to believe in Jon's words, Ysolda reached out with a trembling hand and hesitantly allowed Ghost to sniff her hand before Ghost pushed his head against her hand as if to let her know that he wanted her to pet him. "He's so soft," Ysolda marveled. "How did you meet him?"

"His mom made it south of the Wall and was roaming the Wolfswood outside of Winterfell. She was killed by a stag leaving five pups, one for each of the Stark children and the runt, Ghost, for me," Jon told the story with a smile on his face. "Ever since that day, Ghost has been my friend even if we get separated, I know eventually he will make his way back to me."

Hearing Jon say his name, Ghost turned his attention from the petting that he was receiving to the person that Jon was carrying and sniffed her before nuzzling his head against her body in an attempt to wake her up. Jon was tempted to send Jon away so Arachne could rest peacefully but he decided against that course of action when he felt Arachne stir in his arms.

Wanting to make sure that Arachne was safely on the ground, where he would not accidentally wake her if she squirmed in distress after the way that she had lost her consciousness, Jon hurried over to the bedding that he had abandoned so recently by the reckoning of everyone else in the camp and gently set Arachne down. Ghost and the girls were quick to follow Jon but, while Ghost decided to take the opportunity to sniff at the human lying in the furs that still smelled of Jon, the girls were trying to mask their distaste at the idea of Jon sharing his furs with the unknown woman that he had brought into the camp.

As Ghost continued his ministrations a soft moan rumbled from Arachne's throat and she turned her head causing her straight lilac hair to fall in front of her eyes obscuring them from view. With a surprisingly sure motion considering how she had fell unconscious in the first place, Arachne pushed herself into a reclining position while flicking her head to get the hair out of her eyes. Her confusion was evident as she looked from the furs to the massive direwolf that had backed away several steps when she had started to stir then to Ygritte and Ysolda before finally resting on Jon.

"What's going on?" Arachne asked in a slightly lethargic voice. "What happened?"

* * *

 **AN2: Finally out of the cave! I can't tell you all how nice it is to get Jon out of the cave while writing this chapter. Please let me know what you thought of the pacing of events in this chapter in your reviews. Next chapter should wrap up the Return to Winterfell arc and get Jon back to Winterfell to deal with some of the more canonical events that have been set in motion along with quite a bit of new stuff that I hope you will enjoy. Until next time!**


	22. SR022

**AN: Well.. This one took a while. There are excuses but you don't want to hear them. Many thanks to everyone who reviewed since the last chapter went up, I can't say how much your support helped me when I hit a wall and couldn't seem to get on track for this chapter. If you forgot, I still don't own GoT, ASoIaF or Skyrim. Please let me know your thoughts on the chapter!**

* * *

After the introductions were finished, Jon tried to gauge Arachne's feelings on their new traveling companions. Like Ygritte and Ysolda, Arachne immediately took to the presence of his improbably large direwolf. Unfortunately, her feelings about Ygritte and Ysolda were harder to gauge. While she seemed to appreciate Ygritte's independent, adventurous side, she seemed less than impressed at various comments and gestures that the girl who had been kissed-by-fire had made towards Jon that, he had to admit, could seem a bit possessive. On the other hand, she seemed to empathize with the situation that led to Ysolda leaving her home. Though the touches, that Jon interpreted as Ysolda trying to reassure herself that he was really there after she saw him disappear, caused Arachne to raise her eyebrows on more than one occasion.

Though it was unlikely that their large group would have any trouble with the monstrous direwolf prowling the perimeter of their campground, Mance still felt it necessary to assign a sentry rotation throughout the rest of night to alert the campsite if they fell under attack by man or beast. Naturally, Jon volunteered to take his turn at the watch but his offer was rebuked with a laugh as Mance reminded Jon that he had already done more than enough for the night.

Mance and the Free Folk seemed to be in extremely high spirits since the deserter had been taken captive. There was something in the irony of the Free Folk being the ones to deliver a member of the Nights Watch who had forsaken his vows to justice that had an incredibly positive effect on morale.

As Mance explained it, "The men who take the vows of the Nights Watch do not always choose to do so for what many would consider the 'right' reasons. In many cases these men are running away from the consequences of their actions and taking what may, at first, seem like the easy way out by going to a Wall far beyond and removed from what they had learned in their lives. To think of the Wall in such a way is folly. Life is not easy on the Wall. There, you are made to say flowery words that are meant to symbolize your commitment to your new life but the meaning has been lost."

Jon remembered nodding at that proclamation while thinking of the members of the Nights Watch who had forgotten their vows and betrayed the realm.

"Even though the signs of unrest have been there for years, the leaders of the Nights Watch have chosen to ignore them. They would rather use their time, energy and resources feuding with the offspring of the brave men and women who chose to make a life north of the Wall as the first line of defense against the true enemy rather than keeping to the true spirit of their Vows and fighting against the common enemy of men. That was one of the reasons that I chose to leave that life behind me." As the words left his mouth, it was as if his stare was focused through time directly onto the events of the past.

"I'm sure you've heard the stories about the most famous traitor to the Nights Watch, Mance Rayder. Before I left my post on the Wall, I told a steward who would eventually become the Lord Commander, Jeor Mormont that I thought that the Watch had lost its way. He agreed that the Nights Watch would need to be better prepared if what I imagined came to pass but, at that point in time, there simply was not enough information to be sure."

"Wait," Jon had asked as his brain tried to keep up. "You were a member of the Nights Watch before joining the Free Folk?"

"Aye, it seems like a lifetime ago. Back then there were only hints of the true enemy returning but it was enough for me to know that the ranging done by the Night Watch would fail to provide the warning that the Nights Watch would need to mount a substantial defense. So in the dark of the night, Jeor opened the door for me so I could begin the true ranging. It is my hope that when the true enemy makes his move the Old Bear will open the gates and all men can stand as one to defeat the forces of evil that seek to take all that we hold dear."

Though he couldn't see his face, Jon felt his mouth fall open and thought it likely that he had done a fair impression of a fish caught out of water at Mance's statement.

"It may be unfair to put this burden on the shoulders of one so young but you have proven yourself, Jon. I would give you advice and hope that you take something of value from it; a man isn't made good or evil because of where he is born. A man born north of the Wall is just as capable of kindness and treachery as one who was born south of the Wall. It is the circumstances in which a man finds himself and how he responds to those circumstances that speak to his character."

Having sensed the verbal queue, Jon nodded solemnly.

"Remember these words; hopefully they will serve you well in the future," Mance's weathered face had broken into a roguish grin." Now, that's enough of that. If my eyes did not deceive me, you have found yourself three very beautiful women than many here would love to steal from you."

Jon chuckled at Mance's assessment of the situation, "It's not like I'll be settling down to a keep any time soon. Ygritte will probably not want to leave you and the Free Folk to venture south of the Wall. Ysolda is just accompanying me until we find her brother. Arachne… well Arachne will probably be sticking around for a while."

Mance gave Jon a wry smile before shaking his head. "I suppose you will find out when the time is right. At this point in time, you should return to their company, lest the men start questioning why you would be spending so much time with a grizzled, old man when there are three very lovely and very female alternatives."

At that, Jon had left in a hurry, hearing Mance's booming laughter coming from then tent he had just left and ran into Ysolda. After steadying her and angling them back toward their bedrolls, he found words to address the concerned look on her face, "Ysolda, I hoped that you would have been able to get some sleep after I had kept you up worrying tonight."

Ysolda mumbled a reply that Jon was unable to make out. Upon seeing the questioning look on his face, she stopped walking and placed a hand on his arm which caused him to stop walking as well before she repeated herself, "I thought that you had left me alone again and I didn't want to be around _them_ anymore."

It didn't take a maester to figure out who Ysolda was referring to, "Is Ygritte giving you a hard time? From what I know about Arachne, she wouldn't want to cause you any more grief after what you went through."

Ysolda's eyes narrowed, "How much do you really know of her? You said that you just met her when you happened upon that _deserter_." She said the word with such vitriol that he was momentarily taken aback before he remembered just how much had been taken from her because members of the Nights Watch had chosen to go against their vows. That thought naturally led to the irony of the fact that she had been saved by another member of the Nights Watch who was thought to have betrayed his vows but he schooled that reaction as he could tell that now was not the moment for levity and he did not want to betray Mance by sharing information that was given under the understanding of confidence between the two of them. "Are you sure that you can trust her? You haven't known her long and she could just be trying to saying what you think that you want to hear."

Jon quirked his head and did his best to keep his tone light and amicable as if he was jesting, "I haven't known you for very long either. Would it be a mistake to put my trust in you?"

Ysolda huffed and crossed her arms in frustration, "It's not the same. You saw what they did to me, you know why how I came to be here and you know why I chose to travel with you. Can you say the same about her?"

 _Yes, yes and yes,_ Jon thought as Ysolda listed off her questions but, sticking to the narrative that had been presented to his other traveling companions, he did not voice his confidence in knowing the what, how and why he believed Arachne to be trustworthy. Instead he chose to appeal to Ysolda's sympathy, "I'm not sure what Arachne has done to make you think that she is untrustworthy but I would do anything within my power to prevent a woman from being harmed by a man and that goes double for a woman who had no one else that was able to protect her. She was ripped from her home and found herself at the mercy of what was supposed to be a protector. Now she is truly alone in this world. If traveling with us is what makes her feel safe then I won't be the one to take that option away from her."

Ysolda shuffled uncomfortably. Though Jon had not raised his voice, it was clear to her that he would not be swayed against the new traveling companion that had found her way into their midst. "You are special, Jon Snow. You didn't have to let me travel with you and you don't have to let Arachne travel with you either but you seem to have the strength of heart to take on others' burdens. If you trust Arachne then I will do my best to trust her as well but I can't help but feel that there is more to why you trust her than what you are telling me."

It was Jon's turn to shuffle uncomfortably and he did so for a moment before trying to present an air of confidence, "I think that she deserves to be given the benefit of the doubt. If she gives us a reason to question her then I would understand if you were hostile but, until then, I ask that you try to be there for her. She is truly all alone in this world and would probably benefit greatly from having a friend who has gone through a similar experience."

Her mouth opened and closed several times as Ysolda seemed to search for the right response before she settled on a quick nod. Taking this a sign that they had said the words that needed to be said at this time, Jon gently placed a hand on her back to guide her back to their sleeping furs. The pair covered the distance in a companionable silence that was broken as they got closer to their destination by the voices of Arachne and Ygritte.

"…Is that what you think?" Ygritte's eyes were narrowed as she stared down Arachne.

Arachne met the glare with a matching intensity, refusing to give an inch to the slightly taller red-head. "It's what I know, little girl."

"Well, there he is now," Ygritte broke eye contact with Arachne and gestured aggressively at Jon before returning her glare to Arachne. "Go ahead and tell him your plan to share his furs for the night. He was raised in a castle and he would never let a girl that he just met do something like that!"

Arachne narrowed her eyes and Jon worried that she was about to say something that would blow the cover story that he had crafted to explain her presence so he left his place next to Ysolda and moved between the two arguing girls. "Don't worry Arachne; you can take my furs tonight. It's a warm night. I can sleep on the ground."

For the first time, Arachne, Ygritte and Ysolda seemed to be in agreement as their voices rose to voice their displeasure with Jon's compromise. Instead of getting into a drawn out discussion about where he would sleep, Jon found a particularly lush looking patch of grass and plopping down unceremoniously.

Eventually the voices of the girls faded from his consciousness and Jon surrendered himself to sleep.

22-22-22-22-22

When Jon woke up, he was surprisingly warm. This combined with the cool northern morning made him very reluctant to open his eyes and embrace the day. As he started to push himself up from his place on the ground, Jon felt the pressure on his jerkin that he had inadvertently become accustomed to tighten considerably, as if trying to prevent him from leaving from his current location.

Though the resistance was quite formidable, Jon found the strength to raise himself to a sitting position. Looking around, he noted that the girls had apparently concluded their argument from the night before by vying for sleeping positions close to him. The hand that gripped his jerkin belonged to Arachne which made sense to Jon as he knew that she had a well of strength to draw from that was unmatched by the other girls.

Closing his hand upon Arachne's hand and applying a slight pressure was enough to wake the girl and cause her to release her hold on her jerkin. As she stirred, Jon pushed himself into a standing position and he noticed that Ysolda had taken the spot on his other side with Ygritte sleeping peacefully on her other side.

Knowing that his actions would certainly wake the girls who had taken their places at his sides, Jon stood up and made to step over Arachne who was far more aware than he would have suspected of someone who just woke up from a dead sleep. Seeing that she was awake, Jon offered her a hand to help her stand before efficiently rolling his furs and stashing them in his inventory.

The sounds of Jon up and about caused Ysolda and Ygritte to stir. Though the pair had been almost categorically opposed to each other since the less than ideal situation that had led to their meeting they seemed to have found common ground in their opposition of Arachne. Apparently the truce was temporary as the two kept shooting glares at one another and Arachne as they rolled up their own furs.

It would seem that either someone had left the camp to hunt and gather herbs and spices or Mance had made sure that his wagons were provisioned with food for their travels. One of the women that had traveled north as a part of the group that succeeded in finding Jon was ladling out a hardy looking stew into bowls and handing them to the camp's early risers. Following along with the actions of the Free Folk, Jon approached the woman and got a bowl of the stew.

As he stepped away and blew on the stew to cool it down so he would not have to face the evils of a scorched mouth because of the hot liquid. He tipped the bowl to his mouth and noticed that Arachne, Ysolda and Ygritte had followed him and gotten their own bowls of stew as some of the people who had preceded them returned their bowls to the woman who neatly stacked them to the side of the kettle and gestured for one of the other members of the Free Folk to take them to the nearby stream and wash them clean.

Not wanting to prevent anyone from having a bowl, Jon quickly finished his stew which tasted of rabbit, lentils and sage and returned his bowl before seeking out Mance. It didn't take much time to find the leader as he was the center of hustle and bustle in the impromptu campground. Upon seeing Jon approach with the entourage of the horse-sized direwolf and the girls, the crowd parted to allow him to approach their leader.

When Mance saw Jon, his face broke into a smile. "There you are, I was beginning to think that you were planning to sleep the morning away after your moonlit adventures."

Jon scoffed as he thought exactly how apt Mance's description was for a night that had been so much more from his perspective. "Not a chance! I have to get back to Winterfell. Hopefully you didn't use up all of your energy pushing to get here as quick as you did in the first place."

There was a grumbling from the people that had heard his comment but it was Mance that laughed in his response. "The Free Folk were made for travel. If anything, I would recommend that you and your little pup doing your best not to fall behind. After all, how would it look if we got back to Winterfell and his blood just couldn't keep up with the riffraff of the north?"

Shaking his head as he scoffed at Mance's words, "We'll just have to see about that. I didn't plan to leave Winterfell and have been away far longer than I expected. Now, I am eager to get back. I'm ready to leave whenever you give the word."

Mance seemed to catch the eye of all of the assembled Free Folk as they bustled into motion as he responded, "You're anxious to get back and I'm sure that you family is anxious to see you returned. The camp will be packed up in short order and we will be off."

True to Mance's words, it seemed that as soon as he stopped speaking one of his men reported to him that they were packing up the last remains of their camp and, had it not been for the fire pit that had been thoroughly suffocated with a fresh layer of dirt, Jon would scarcely have known that there had been a camp at his current location. After a few more minutes had passed, the camp had been fully packed and Jon and the girls were directed to the horses that they had requisitioned from the traitorous members of the Nights Watch.

22-22-22-22-22

Jon could scarcely say how many miles or leagues had passed over the weeks that the group had traveled. Over that time, Arachne and Ysolda were focused on not delaying their journey and had struck up an uneasy friendship while Ygritte's superior expression all but proclaimed that she found the opportunity to prove her superiority at riding to be just what the maester had ordered and contented herself with shooting looks at the other two as if to say, "You will never be able to compete with me as a rider." Still, the Free Folk pressed on and Jon felt the warmer temperature that indicated a return to the more southern, northern region where the Starks had staked their claim upon the land.

There travel had been uneventful and uninterrupted to this point but the was not going to last as a host of northern bannermen with their house banners flying proud were positioned in the middle of the Kingsroad to intercept them on their return voyage to Winterfell.

"Halt in the name of Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell," called a bearded man with white side-burns that were tied together under his chin in place of a beard and thick furs spanning his broad shoulders at the head of the procession called. "Until such time as his bastard is returned to him, no parties are to be allowed to travel this road without stating their purpose."

Sensing the anxiousness of his traveling companions, Jon urged his horse forward to speak to the assembly, "This group has been acting on behest of the Lord of Winterfell seeing me safely home from a journey that had many unexpected turns."

The face of the old man, who had initially spoke, broke into a smile as Jon rode into view. "You know, if you wanted to get out of training so badly, asking your Lord father would have been far less inconvenient to far fewer people."

The words of Winterfell's weapon master caused Jon to smile, "Aye, I'll be sure to keep that in mind in the future. Though, from what I hear, going beyond the Wall, dealing with sea serpents, escaping from cannibals, meeting the commander of the Shadow Tower, saving a village from Treacherous brothers of the Nights Watch and saving a woman from her fate with one of those traitors are generally accepted reasons for missing training."

Rodrik's face, and the faces of his companions, went through a bevy of emotions ranging from incredulity at the Jon's claims to outright anger at the concept of members of the Nights Watch forsaking their vows, to sympathy at the thought of a woman left at the mercy of a man who had already forsaken the vows that he had sworn to the realm. Again the men deferred to Rodrik to respond to Jon's proclamations, "Even with all of those experiences, you are far from experienced." Rodrik turned an appraising eye toward Jon and then noticed the girls that were flanking him, "Although you are decidedly not the green boy that I once knew training with the new recruits for the Winterfell guard."

Jon looked to the traveling companions that he had assembled before deigning to respond, "After crossing live steel with tried brothers of the Nights Watch in actual combat, I feel like I've come much further than the distance that I've traveled to get back here."

His statement caused Rodrik to pause and stroke the tuft of hair beneath his chin where his sideburns were braided together. "A man is tempered through the fires of the situations that he is faced with throughout the course of his life. You have faced things that many would never think to expect in their lives and came out stronger for the experiences. Now, what say you, we get you back to your family at Winterfell?"

With a smile on his face, Jon was content to agree. "It's past time that I returned to Winterfell. There are several matters that I need to bring to the attention of the Warden of the North as soon as possible. During our travels, my companions and I overpowered, and took prisoner, a man that is deserving of northern justice." At that point, Mance nodded towards a group of men that had proceeded to remove a bound captive from one of their wagons.

One of the riders from Rodrik's party surged ahead to inform the Lord of Winterfell that Jon Snow had finally returned from his travels while the rest of the party, along with the new additions, followed at a much more sedate pace. Spirits were high, considering that it was a bastard that had been found rather than a trueborn son of their liege lord. The high spirits and jovial attitude of the traveling group dampened slightly as the group was approached by another party that was moving to intercept them while flying banners that were mostly unfamiliar to those who had spent their lives in the north.

After a moment of confusion, Jon remembered that the King had been riding for Winterfell before his unintended trip beyond the Wall. He assumed that the fat man with the greying beard and a stomach that spoke of too many nights in his cups, and too few mornings in the training yard, under the banner of a crowned stag rode next to the Warden of the North.

Among the riding party there were several men in white cloaks indicating that they were several of the most dangerous men in the realm when they had swords in their hands. Obviously, Jon had never met any of the members of the Kingsguard in person but, like many boys throughout Westeros, he had grown up hearing the legends of the great warriors of the past and the deeds that had made them legends.

One such man was present for the reunion of the Starks, Ser Barristan Selmy the Bold. Though another was conspicuously absent, Ser Jaime Lannister the Kingslayer. The first had captured Bran's attention from the first time the Septa had mentioned him and Bran never missed a chance to "regale" Jon with tales of the man's tournament appearances and his battle prowess during the War of the Ninepenny Kings. The second, missing legend caused a mixed reaction from Jon; while he had a healthy respect for the stories of his skill with a sword, Jon could found it difficult to consider admiring a man who had gone back on his vows and killed the man he was sworn to protect.

Upon seeing Jon, Ned dismounted from his horse and extended his hand to clasp Jon's before pulling him into a manly embrace. "It's good to see you Jon. We will have words about your disappearance when we get back to Winterfell but, you should know, it's good to have you back in one piece."

As the two Starks broke apart from their embrace, the fat man that Jon had taken to be the king was helped down from his position and made his way to the Starks. Jon shot a glance at Ned and received the slightest of nods to confirm Jon's suspicions. Jon dropped to a knee and pulled his sword from its sheath before offering it with both hands to the king of Westeros. "My sword is yours, your grace."

"Yes, yes," Jon felt a hand grab his shoulder and hoist him to a standing position with surprising strength. "Let me get a look at you. You're a spitting image of our Ned when he was your age down to the furrowed brow and the serious expression. You'd think some fresh air from that stuffy old question would help you loosen up but it appears that Ned Stark's blood is strong in you."

"Er…" Jon didn't know how to respond to the king's proclamation. "Thanks?"

The king seemed to be amused by Jon's response as he burst into a wheezing, belly laugh and clapped Jon on the shoulder roughly but not unkindly. "It feels like just yesterday that the uptight Eddard Stark was stammering in discomfort when he met Lord Jon Arryn; you're named for him, boy."

Jon chanced another look at Ned who gave a less discrete nod to indicate that the king spoke true. The Warden of the North responded since Jon had never met the man that he had been named after. "Jon Arryn was the man who taught me what it meant to be a man and how to conduct myself in the field of battle. He was fearsome with a sword and truly lived up to the words of his house, 'As High as honor.' As Hand of the King he has played a crucial role in shaping Westeros since Robert was named King of the Seven Kingdoms."

"Boy," Robert's voice called out commanding the attention of all who were present. Jon snapped to attention but it was apparent that Robert was calling for someone else as a thin boy who looked to be around Jon's age with an upturned nose and lanky, blonde hair moved to attend to the king. "Bring me my wine, Lannister. Ned and I will share a drink with this Jon in memory of the man who made all of this possible."

At the mention of sharing a drink with the Lord of Winterfell and the King of the realm, Jon felt duty-bound to mention a matter that had not yet been addressed. Taking a step back, Jon cleared his throat before he started speaking in a solemn voice. "Lord Stark, your grace, there is a matter of importance that had come to my attention during my travels."

Jon turned his gaze towards Mance who then shouted to his men, causing two of them to produce their prisoner and march him towards the Lord of Winterfell and the King despite him stumbling and attempting to delay the inevitable. Seeing the man pushed forward, clad in the blacks of the Nights Watch, Jon continued speaking, "This man is a deserter from the Nights Watch. We were forced to kill several other deserters when they attempted to abduct Ysolda and had to save Arachne from whatever horrors this traitor had in mind for her." Jon gestured to Ysolda and Arachne respectively to indicate to whom he was referring. "The situation at the Wall is much more dire than we could have expected. On top of traitors, like this one, there is something evil and magical stirring in the north."

The King's head whipped from Jon to his friend much faster than one would expect from a man his size. "I don't like this Ned. First that damned flash of light, then that boy and now your bastard speaks of magic stirring beyond the Wall? On top of that there's word of the whelp across the Narrow Sea marrying one of those damned horse lords…" It looked like the King was about to say something else before he remembered that there were far too many ears that could be listening at the behest of others. "We will talk more of this after you take care of the traitor."

Ned nodded tersely in agreement, "Your grace." He turned to the men who were holding the prisoner and gestured towards a large rock that would function as an executioner's block as pulled the Valyrian great sword, Ice, from its scabbard and took a position next to the rock with the tip of the sword resting on the ground and his hands solemnly on either side of the cross guard that jutted perpendicularly from the hilt.

After the deserter was thrown to his knees with his head turned to the side so his cheek rested on the rock, Ned spoke again. "In the name of Robert Baratheon, first of his name, Protector of the Realm and King of the Seven kingdoms, you are charged with breaking your vows and deserting the Nights Watch. The penalty for deserting the Nights Watch is death. Do you have any last words before your sentence is carried out?"

The young man's eyes grew wide as he was gripped with the finality of his situation and his mouth opened and closed rapidly as he seemed to search for the words that would save him from his fate, "Death by sword is a far kinder fate than what is coming for all of you from beyond the Wall. The dead are rising. They won't stop until all that live are dead. Flee! Forget your lands and the promises that you have made. Take what you can and go South! If you're lucky, you may get to live a little bit longer."

The Warden of the North merely shook his head in disappointment though his face briefly flashed with another emotion before he hoisted the great sword above his head before bringing it down with all of his strength to separate the deserter's head from his shoulders, causing it to roll away from the stump with a look of horror frozen on its face.

After wiping the blood from his sword onto the headless body, Ned gestured to his traveling party and a group of men collected the body and started building a small pyre. Seeing the men go to work, Ned turned back to the king. "It seems that we have more to speak on than Jon's return. Rodrik, when we have returned to Winterfell, see to it that this group that has seen Jon safely returned to Winterfell is fully provisioned and rewarded appropriately."

"It will be done, my lord," Rodrik nodded as he moved to Mance and began a hushed conversation to see his lord's orders through.

After the king mounted his horse, the combined party which now numbered over 200 people began the march to Winterfell. Since it was already decreed that further discussion on serious matters would be put on hold until they could be assured of their privacy, the chatter was kept light and positive.

Ned may have been surprised that Jon had acquired three lovely traveling companions but he was far too practiced in schooling his emotions to let that surprise show on his face beyond a small smirk that was gone a moment later. The king, on the other hand, was positively delighted that apparently Ned's blood which flowed so strongly through his veins had apparently not been enough to create a shield of honor that would prevent a man from satisfying his many urges with many women.

The girls had mixed reactions when it came to the two men that had just entered their lives. Arachne and Ysolda both took to Ned. His solemn nature, calm demeanor and the fact that it was like looking into Jon's future put both of the girls at ease in a way that they could not be with many people after the atrocities that had occurred in their lives.

In contrast, and perhaps more surprisingly, Ygritte seemed to have struck up a fast friendship with the king. The two chatted merrily of hunts and shared stories of enjoying the spoils of their hunts with copious amounts of alcohol afterward. Their friendship led to a bit of tension when the king offered Ygritte a drink from the flagon that the Lannister boy had recently provided which she took with relish only to spit it out with an angry look on her face before she called him a southern twat who didn't drink alcohol, but rather too-sweet grape water.

The White Cloaks and several others who had traveled north with the king almost drew their swords at the perceived insult to the king but he waved them away as he was booming with his wheezing laughter. Instead of reacting with anger, as many had expected, the king's mirth was evident as he addressed Jon, "Now, that's the type of fire that I have missed since I have become king. If I was not already married and a few years younger, then you would find yourself faced with serious competition for this fair lady's hand."

Being called a lady was too much for Ygritte and she burst out laughing. The laughter didn't stop until tears fell from the corner of her eyes and she grabbed her side to hold a stitch that had apparently developed from the activity. "I'm no lady," she was eventually able to muster before breaking out into laughter anew.

After that, the conversations were light hearted but quite tame and the miles passed easily with surprisingly little fanfare despite both the King of the Realm and the Warden of the North traveling in the riding party. Jon would have expected there to be people lining the streets to get a glimpse of the king that was more story than man so far from the capitol in Kings Landing.

Despite the unusual silence that seemed to have taken hold of the north, eventually, a lone rider came into view on the horizon from the direction of Winterfell. Though the young rider's pale skin and dark hair, spoke of a life in the north, Jon did not recognize him but a voice sounded out from his side.

"Yohan!" Ysolda as she surged forward on her horse to intercept the young man's path. Jon urged his horse forward to match the stride of his companion but the other horse's lead proved to be insurmountable as Ysloda and her mount reached the rider several seconds before Jon was able to catch up. "I can't believe you're here! The village… it was attacked. Everyone is gone…"

A heaving sob wracked Ysolda's body and Jon reached out a hand to steady her only for a jagged shard of ice to pass through the space that his hand would have occupied if he had moved a moment faster.

"Get your hands away from my sister," the man, Yohan, shouted. "You could not hope to understand the power that I wield."

Jon saw the blueish white aura emanating from Yohan's open palm that indicated frost magic and didn't know whether he should scoff at the prospect of anyone claiming that he wouldn't be able to understand intermediate destruction magic or if he should be amazed and concerned that someone was showing such an advanced grasp of magic so soon after his decision to open the door to magic for the realms.

For the sake of Ysolda, Jon tried to keep his voice level when responding. "Easy there. If you are Ysolda's brother then your sister has been through a lot recently. No need to cause her to go through more for a petty squabble."

"What do you know of my sister or the hardships that we have faced?" Yohan snarled, his disdain of Jon evident in his gaze as he viewed the fine pieces of armor that Jon had accumulated. "I won't let a brute like you lay a hand on my sister!"

"Well maybe you should have thought about the before you left," Jon replied before thinking. "Since you weren't there I'd say that I know a fair bit more than you about what she's had to go through."

Yohan didn't respond with words but he was more than willing to let his fury be known with the fury of destructive frost magic. Jon dove from his horse to prevent himself from being impaled from an icicle spear that had been fired in his previous position.

 _ **Evasion +200**_

Just as Jon as deciding whether or not he should meet him magical attacker with equal force, he was interrupted by a shout. "Stop this, in the name of your king!"

Jon was absolved from deciding to reveal his magical abilities by the king's words and he turned to face the king after dodging another icicle spear. "Yohan, that's enough!

Though Yohan had very apparently not let go of his hostility towards Jon, he heeded the command of the king and dropped his hand and settled on an angry look focused on Jon.

"What is this about?" the king asked, clearly not interested in an answer. "If I hadn't brought you into my company, you would still be wandering the lands and this is how you choose to repay me, Yohan? By attacking the son of one of my closest friends after he was just reunited with his family after going missing for months?"

Jon failed to stifle a laugh at the expense of the boy getting chasised by the king ad inadvertently turned the king's ire onto himself.

"And you, bastard, even if you are the bastard son of the Lord of the North, you should know your place. If it wasn't for your father, you could be flogged for preventing an envoy of the king from delivering his message."

Properly chastised, Jon nodded before chancing a glance at Ysolda who was looking at him with much more aggression than he expected. "I give my apologies to you, your grace. I only wanted to make ensure Ysolda's safety as she rode out to meet an unknown rider."

"He is not unknown to me, Jon." Ysolda gritted out, her voice conflicted. "He's all I have. He's my brother, Yohan."

"Ysolda," again, Jon reached out without thinking to lay a comforting hand upon her shoulder. Unlike before, he stopped short upon remembering how her brother had reacted the last time he tried to do such a thing. Instead, he dropped his hand while turning his head sharply to look at Yohan then and slowly looking back at Ysolda. "How could you brother come to be in the kings service?"

Ysolda did not have an answer for this question, so she turned to Yohan, inquisitively. Though the young man, who Jon could now see shared Ysolda's skin and hair coloring along with her facial shape, continued glaring at Jon but elected to answer the question. "When I left Dawnstar, I had planned on seeking the aid of the Lord of Winterfell to protect our village since the Nights Watch had failed at that task so miserably over the years. However, when I arrived, the guards at the gate refused to grant me entry. So, rather than waste precious time trying to plead my case just to get into the castle to possibly be turned away by the castle's lord, I continued my journey south. One day, there was the flash of light and I was brought before the king. I pledged myself to his service in exchange for his agreement to send me with 20 troops to reinforce Dawnstar if I proved myself loyal over the next year. "

Jon and Ysolda both nodded in understanding but it was Ysolda who spoke, "A year is a long time, brother, there is no one left to protect in Dawnstar. There is no need to hold the king to that promise anymore but what am I to do? If you are sworn to the king then what is to become of me until your service ends?'

Yohan turned to the man to whom he had pledged his service. "Perhaps, since the agreement that caused me to pledge my service is no longer needed then the king would release me from his service so that we can find a new place to live since Dawnstar no longer needs protecting but you do."

The king's face turned grim. "I wish it could be done, boy. What happened to your village is a shame. I will see to it that the dungeons are scoured when we return to Kings Landing to reinforce the Nights Watch to prevent such a thing from occurring to other villages like yours. All the same, I cannot release you from your vow of service."

The bluish, white glow encompassed his hand upon hearing the king's words but a subtle shake of the head from Barristan Selmy, who had his hand on the hilt of his sword, caused the glow to fade away though the angered expression hardly lessened on Yohan's face. "It's not fair. I would not have pledged myself to your service if I knew that there was no hope for my village."

Ned rode forward to Robert's side to answer the question since he knew the king's feelings on the "fairness" of life. "Stand down, boy. It is a great shame what happened to your village and your desire to protect your village is to be commended. I understand why you would seek release from your pledge of service but think of how many villages you could save and how many families you could serve by continuing in service to your king. Sometimes, we find ourselves on different paths than we could have ever imagined and it is up to us to make the best out of those new paths."

Although the prospect of being able to save others from the fates suffered by his village and his family seemed to temper Yohan's anger, there was still something in his eye that Jon would not trust. "That was magic, wasn't it? How could you learn to do such a thing?"

At this, Yohan's expression shifted to reflect the haughty superiority he felt. "Not that it's any of your concern but after the flash, I found myself set upon by a trio of bandits upon the road. They proved to be superior swordsmen and were able to disarm me and would have taken my life, in addition to my purse. In that moment, I felt a power unlike any I had felt before coursing through my body so I raised my hand and willed that power to shoot outwards at my attackers. Back then, the power would only come out as a snowy blast but it was enough to slow the bandits until eventually they would never set upon another wary traveler again."

The implication of Yohan's words was not lost on any who heard him speak. Apparently, the king was willing to pardon the deaths of three of his less scrupulous subjects in exchange for having Yohan pledged to his service. "That's enough of that, Yohan. Why were you riding from Winterfell? I left you specific instructions to study with the Maester to see if there was anything more you could find out about the mystical arts until I returned."

As realization struck that the king was changing the subject from the people that lost their lives when he had figured out that he had access to magic, Yohan followed suit. "Yes, your grace. I was studying with the maester. It took some time to find any books with mentions of magic and what we found were mostly histories with vague mentions of actions that could possibly have been magic but it is not stated anywhere in the text for us to be sure."

The sound of a clearing throat seemed to remind Yohan that the king had posed a question that had not yet been answered. "There was an accident at Winterfell. A boy was climbing the towers and fell. He has not yet woken up. The Lady of Winterfell is quite distressed and the maester sent me, along with several other riders in other directions, to tell Lord Stark what has happened."

Jon gasped at Yohan's words prompted a notification.

 _ **Quest Alert! Return to Winterfell  
Main Objective – Failed: **__Make it back to Winterfell within two months._ _ **  
Secondary Objective – Completed:**_ _Raise Conjuration, Alteration, Illusion and Restoration skills to level 10._ _ **Rewards for Secondary Objective:**_ _Chance to save Bran from a life as a cripple. Unlock Emergency Restoration quest. Unlock Vengeance is Coming quest._ _ **  
Tertiary Objective – Failed:**_ _Reach level 25 by the time that you reach Winterfell's gates_

The fact that he failed the Main Objective and Secondary Objective was lost on Jon as he read that he still had a chance to save Bran from a life as a cripple. He could hardly contain himself as two more notifications popped up.

 _ **Quest Alert! Emergency Restoration  
Primary Objective: **__Put your restoration skills to the test and heal the wounds that Bran suffered from his fall.  
_ _ **Rewards for Completion of Primary Objective:**_ _50,000 Restoration experience, freedom to travel to and from Winterfell at your leisure  
_ _ **Penalty for Failure:**_ _Bran never regains the use of his legs_

 _ **Quest Alert! Vengeance is Coming  
Primary Objective: **__Investigate Bran's fall and determine who was responsible for the fleet-footed Stark's fall. Deliver vengeance to that person with the fury of winter.  
_ _ **Second Objective:**_ _Deliver your vengeance in a way that does not compromise Hose Stark's standing amongst the great houses of Westeros.  
_ _ **Tertiary Objective:**_ _Let the tears weep over their halls with no one left to hear. Destroy the house root and stem so they can never again threaten the realm.  
_ _ **Rewards for Primary Objective:**_ _500,000 experience  
_ _ **Rewards for Secondary Objective:**_ _1,000,000 Sneak experience  
_ _ **Rewards for Tertiary Objective:**_ _250,000 to Archery, Blocking, Evasion, either Light Armor or Heavy Armor and either One-Handed or Two-Handed  
_

After waving the notifications away with a quick flick of his hand, Jon immediately pushed his horse into a high speed gallop in the direction of Winterfell. Despite shouts from other members of the riding party, Jon was unwilling to let Bran hurt any longer because of further distractions so he pushed his horse all the more. After several minutes, Jon heard the beat of horse hooves behind him and chanced a glance over his shoulder to see that it was the other person who would be as desperate to make sure that Bran was alright as he was, the Lord of Winterfell, Eddard Stark.

Jon slowed slightly to allow the man who had raised him as a son to draw even with him though he kept pushing his horse to get back to the castle as soon as possible.

"Jon, slow down," Ned shouted over the pounding clatter of horse hooves. "There is nothing that you can do now. Bran will be attended to by the best Maester in the north. If anyone can make sure that Bran comes through this alright, it will be Maester Luwin."

"That's not true," Jon countered with a shout of his own. "The Ring will let me do far more than the maester for Bran. If I don't get back to him then Bran will spend his life as a cripple. All he wanted to do was to climb, to see the world and to prove himself on the field of battle. I was too slow in getting back to prevent the fall in the first place but I am here now! I won't be the one that makes Bran have to give up on his dreams!"

"How can it even be possible? I have no doubts that you have grown since the last time that I saw you but can such a thing be possible?"

"You saw the magic that Yohan was able to call on before he _finally_ got around to telling us the actual reason that he rode out to meet us. Comparing that to what I can do is like comparing a rookie trainee to Ser Barristan Selmy. I can heal him, just as long as you're willing to take the chance."

"If you say you can do it, then I trust you to give it your best effort, Jon. What happened to you? You didn't say anything, there was that flash of light and then I'm receiving ravens from the commander of the Shadow Tower."

Jon wanted to tell his father-figure everything but the castle was steadily coming into view, so he settled on answering the questions posed to him content in the fact that he could go into further detail later. "While exploring the Wolfswood, I found a cave that was hidden by magic that housed four doors. Since there were no other ways out of the part of the cave with the doors, I was forced to choose one. After opening the door, there was the flash that caused Ghost to grow to full size and transported me north of the Wall. At that point, I knew that I needed to get back to Winterfell so I made my way through the north, training when I could, until my path crossed with Camen and his troupe. Together, we traveled south until we encountered Rodrik's traveling party and then you and the king."

"You've come a long way. We'll have to test your mettle in the yard to see just how far you have progressed with your training."

"If only I hadn't let myself become so distracted in my travels, I could have made it back in time to save Bran from his fall."

"Don't do that, Jon. You got back as soon as you could. Even if you somehow knew Bran was in danger, can you really say it would have been possible for you to get back sooner than you did? Did you know that Bran was going to be hurt?"

"No!" Jon's face morphed into an expression of horror. "The Ring made it clear that someone would get hurt if I didn't get back within two months but I didn't know who it could have been. If I knew it was Bran I would have done everything in my power to make sure that he was never hurt in the first place."

"People get hurt every day, Jon. Even though we always hope that the people getting hurt won't be the ones close to us, sometimes there is nothing we can do to protect them. When that's the case, we owe it to them to be there for them as they recover and do what we can to help them along that road. Beating yourself up because of what happened won't help anyone."

Their conversation had taken them to the gates of Winterfell and Ned announced their arrival and let the guards know to expect the rest of the traveling party in short order. One of the stable boys emerged to collect the horses and, as soon as he had their reigns in hand, Jon and Ned were off in a hurry, rushing to Bran's side.

The hurried pace took them through the corridors of Winterfell to Bran's quarters which Ned entered first followed by Jon. Inside the room, The other Starks were arrayed around the bed as Maester Luwin fretted over the young boy who was covered by furs, propped up by pillows and looking fare more pallid than Jon had ever seen before.

Despite the tension in the room, Robb, Arya and Rickon were ecstatic to see Jon again. After hugging and promising to tell them where he had been later, Jon was surprised when Sansa's light voice stated that she was glad he was back. On the other hand, his absence had apparently not caused Lady Catelyn's heart to grow fonder of him in his absence as her glare clearly relayed the message that she would rather Jon have been the one in the bed than Bran.

Instead of risking the ire of Lady Catelyn, Jon looked toward the man that had raised him and tried to communicate that he would need the others to leave if he was going to be able to attempt to heal Bran. Though Ned did not immediately pick up on the non-verbal request, following Jon's eyes from Lady Catelyn to Bran then back to Lady Catelyn seemed to get the message across. "While I am glad all of you have been here for Bran, everyone must leave the room it is of the utmost importance."

Immediately, the other Stark children and the Maester made to leave the room but neither Jon nor Catelyn moved from their respective positions. Ned tenderly laid a hand on his lady's shoulder and added, "You will also need to leave, Cat."

From the look on her face, you would have thought that Ned had just slapped her as her face reddened and a vein started pulsing on her temple. "You would try to separate me from my son after what has happened to him?" Her voice was barely higher than a whisper but her tone was absolutely venomous. "What about the boy? How could you be so cruel that you would let him stay when you would make me leave?"

Ned shook his head and raised his hands to stop her protests. "Believe me Cat. I need Jon here for this. Believe me when I say that nothing will harm Bran with the two of us in here to defend him."

Cat's look promised that the matter was not settled and that she would be sharing words with her husband later. However, the intensity of the frustration contained within the look that she gave her husband paled in comparison to the withering look she gave to Jon as she swept from the room without another word.

The Lord of Winterfell chuckled darkly at the actions of his wife before addressing Jon, "Well, I do not want to put more pressure on you before you attempt whatever it is that you are about to do but, with what I'm going to have to go through after dismissing Cat like that, it had better work."

Jon merely nodded before taking the seat formerly occupied by Lady Catelyn and taking Bran's hand and calling for his magic to heal the boy causing a green glow to appear around their joined hands that slowly enveloped the younger Stark boy. As the glow passed over the younger boy's stomach, Jon felt something wrong.

To his great surprise, a golden lion with an iridescent mane sprung from Bran's torso and shot a torrent of golden flames that prevented the healing magic from being able to enter Bran's body to correct the wound. Focusing his magic, Jon attempted to smother the lion with his healing magic but the lion spun rapidly, keeping the green healing magic at bay. Changing tactics, Jon fired small blasts of the healing magic at the lion from all sides. This seemed like it would be effective until the lion roared again creating a force field that the healing magic was unable to penetrate.

Again forced to change his tactics, Jon lashed out against the lion with a whip-like tendril of the green healing energy and managed to wrap it's back leg an partially immobilize it before it was able to turn and bite through the impromptu leash. Seeing his success, Jon lashed out again with a tendril of magic aimed at each of the lion's legs and another at its neck.

The tendrils struck true and, in an instant, the lion's legs were pulled out from under it so that it was forced to lay on its belly. Seeing the lion prepare to roar, Jon elongated the tendril around its mouth to muzzle the magical beast before forming the largest tendril yet and impaling the downed beast, causing it to dissipate before continuing at a more sedate pace into Bran's body.

Though it could not be seen by Ned, Jon was able to feel as the restoration magic permeated Bran's spine and put right what was broken. After the deed was done and Jon was checked to make sure there weren't any more surprises like the lion that was determined to see Bran's dreams destroyed as it had rent his spine in two.

Once he was satisfied that there were no other pieces of foreign magic or injuries left to be healed, Jon drew his magic back to him with a sigh not realizing how much magic he had put into such a small scale battle. Breathing deeply, Jon turned to the man who had raised him as a son and nodded before saying, "It's done. He's going to be alright."

 _ **Restoration: Heal +16,000**_

 _ **Quest Alert! Emergency Restoration  
Primary Objective: **__Put your restoration skills to the test and heal the wounds that Bran suffered from his fall.  
_ _ **Rewards for Completion of Primary Objective:**_ _50,000 Restoration experience, freedom to travel to and from Winterfell at your leisure_

"I can't even begin to understand what you did just then." Ned started as he moved forward to take the chair at Bran's other side and grab his other hand. "You are developing abilities that I would never have thought possible. If this is a result of your time away from Winterfell then you have my leave to journey forth at your leisure. I will see to it that the guards are notified that you can come and go as you please. Words cannot properly express my gratitude for what you were able to do for our family. If there is anything that I can give you as compensation, just speak the words and, if it is within my power, I will see it given to you."

Jon stood and paced the room for a minute before returning to his seated position across from the man who had took a huge blow to his honor by claiming Jon as his son. After a breath to steady himself, Jon asked the question that he had yearned to know since he found out why he was different from the children that he had been brought up with as a sibling; since he had learned he was a bastard and what that meant. "What can you tell me about my mother?"

* * *

 **AN2: That was chapter 22. At long last the return to Winterfell arc has reached its conclusion. Please let me know your thoughts on the Yohan situation and my take on Jon healing Bran. I'll try to get you an update sooner than later. Thanks for reading!**


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